Lady Hawk
by KD Skywalker
Summary: This is the story of how Clint Barton found the love of his life and managed to hang on to her throughout the craziness the ensues...Hawkeye/OC...Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer and AN: I don't own any of the Marvel characters….sadly…..I'm just fulfilling my muse. Anyways, this is basically the story about how Clint Barton and Emma Carter from the 'Things They Carry' got together. It's going to be a very short story, but it's going to be sweet. I just felt like writing it. So enjoy and if you don't like the match up of Hawkeye and an OC then this isn't the story for you!_

* * *

**Chapter 1_  
_**

In this crazy world that had now become his life, Clint Barton was happy for the little things in his life. There was his awesome job with S.H.E.I.L.D. and his new one with the Avengers. But it wasn't always that way…

His childhood was less than perfect with a drunken father who abused him, his brother and their mother until managing the kill himself in a car accident when Clint was 10. Thankfully, his mother survived. But even then, times were tough and he and his brother ran away to join a traveling circus. It wasn't until word of his archery abilities had caught the attention of a Nick Fury that his life actually changed for the better.

This Nick Fury had approached him and asked him to join the military branch Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division or S.H.E.I.L.D.; he quickly jumped at the offer. His brother, Barney had ditched him a long time ago for a life in the army, so why couldn't he take up the chance to make a difference in his own life?

* * *

_**9 years prior to the events of 'The Avengers'**_

Clint Barton sat in a conference room off of one of the various hallways of the several story S.H.E.I.L.D. headquarters along the waterfront of the New York City Harbor. He had been training with them for about a month and had begun to notice more and more that Nick Fury had been taking a keen interest in him. When the director of the covert government agency that you had just begun to work for takes an interest in your training, you begin to wonder why.

Perhaps he was about to go into the field for some training? Maybe a mission?

His suspicions were confirmed that morning when Fury had approached him with another man, dressed in a neatly pressed three piece suit – a handler as they were called by some of the trainees.

"Agent Barton, this is Agent Coulson," Nick Fury said making introductions earlier that morning. "He is going to be your new handler."

The two men shook hands.

"Now if would come with us," Fury said. "You'll meet your new partner."

That had been almost an hour ago. Since then both Fury and Coulson had been called out of the conference room by pages from Maria Hill – something about an Agent Carter refusing to take a direct order. Fury had returned first, looking calm and collected, after a few minutes and sat back down. Clint figured that very little got to the S.H.E.I.L.D. director. Yet out in the hallway he could hear an argument taking place. He figured it was between this Agent Carter and Agent Coulson.

"I don't need a babysitter!" a female voice argued in hushed whispers.

"Emma calm down. You will still be the more experienced agent in the field. But you do need someone watching your back." Phil Coulson calmly said in a whisper before opening the door. He stepped back into the room first and held the door open for a young woman. Both of them sat down across from Fury and Barton.

"Emma Carter, meet Clint Barton you new partner," Fury said.

Clint reached out to shake her hand, but she just glared at him. "Why do I need a partner?" she asked folding her arms in front of her and turning to look at Fury. "I'm a spy and its obvious that he's not."

"But have you seen him shoot?"

* * *

After a quick session on the shooting range – both with a bow and a sniper rifle – Emma Carter was impressed, but she still wasn't thrilled with the idea of being forced to have a partner. Clint on the other hand was thrilled beyond belief. He couldn't believe his luck. Not only did he have a kick ass new gig working with spies and whatnot, but also his new partner was drop dead gorgeous. Emma had to be about 5 foot 6 inches tall, long light brown hair, petite frame and soft brown eyes that actually looked deadly. If it wasn't for the fact that he was pretty certain that she could kill him in many different ways then he would have asked her out on a date as soon as he saw her. But sadly, he knew that he couldn't do that since they were now partners and they were supposed to have each other's backs.

So now he would have to settle for dreams.

* * *

"What do you have against having a partner?"

Emma looked up from reading the briefing packet as they rode on the transport to their first mission together – a simple grab-n-bag in Mexico of a drug kingpin. They had only been teamed up for a few days and since then they had worked out together a bit, ran some drills together under the watchful eye of Agent Coulson; but the entire time they had not talked that much. Clint had gotten the feeling that Emma was still upset about having been assigned a partner.

"I would rather have to worry about myself and not have to worry about someone else dying because of a stupid mistake on my part."

"So you'd rather die then have someone save your life if they could?"

"Most of what I do isn't simple grab-n-bags. Usually its covert ops. So I'm really not sure what Fury expects out of this partnership."

"Me either. But hopefully I'll surprise you," Clint said with a smile.

"Hopefully." Emma said returning his smile.

And that was when their partnership truly began.


	2. Chapter 2

_**AN and Disclaimer: I don't own Hawkeye – but if I didn't….oh the things…..moving on…..like I said last chapter, this is basically the prequel to the story of mine called 'The Things They Carry' - so if you haven't checked out that story, please do! Please leave me reviews, they are fuel for my muse who loves to read them before, during and after writing!**_

* * *

**Chapter 2: **

Within the first few months of being assigned missions together, Emma and Clint fell into an easy routine with each other. Training at headquarters, missions when needed, nothing else. While that seemed to be enough for Emma, it wasn't for Clint. He wanted to know more about the mysterious S.H.E.I.L.D. agent that he had for a partner.

He was very tempted to follow her home one night after training, just to see if there was more to this mysterious Emma than she was letting on. But every time that he would get the courage to do so or even ask her to join him and some of the other S.H.E.I.L.D. agents for a night out for a few drinks or something when they didn't have duty, she was gone. She didn't even stay at hq like the himself and most of the other newbie agents did. There had to be more to this girl then she was letting on.

Things remained like this for six months.

* * *

"YOU DIDN'T NEED TO FUCKING SHOOT HIM IN THE CHEST!" Emma yelled at Clint as they rode back on a Quinjet after what was supposed to be a simple grab-n-bag in Eastern Europe. But it had quickly deteriorated and Clint had found himself having to kill the suspected arms dealer instead of brining him back alive when the guy had pulled a gun on Emma, who had gone in unarmed for this assignment. She had thought that she was going to be able to apprehend him without much of a problem, but she had been gravely mistaken this time.

"HE WAS GOING TO PUT A BULLET THROUGH YOUR HEAD! I WASN'T GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN!" Clint yelled back.

Coulson stood off to the side, calmly monitoring the entire situation between the two agents unfold. He knew that they needed to get this out. Things between the two of them were not good at the moment. Emma had been holding back too much, not letting Clint in. It was a trust issue steaming from her childhood. He and Fury had hoped by forcing her to team up with a partner that she would loosen up a bit, but so far that was backfiring on them.

The two agents continued their tirade of angry words and gestures back and forth for a few more minutes until Emma sent a roundhouse kick right for Clint's face. But Coulson caught her leg and sent her to the metal floor of the Quinjet. She landed hard on her back.

"That's enough Emma," he calmly said as he straightened his suit and tie. "You can either stay on the ground or sit calmly in a seat and listen to me."

Emma slowly got to her feet and sat down on a row of seats across from where Clint had sat down, while Coulson stood in the middle. "Clint did what he was supposed to do. He saw a threat to your life and he took out that threat. End of story."

"But…"

"But nothing. Now you can either be a team player or you can sit on the bench. I'm sure that Director Fury will want words with you when we get back to hq. I don't want to hear another word until then."

* * *

Clint waited patiently for Emma to emerge from her assigned S.H.E.I.L.D. quarters. He knew her routine like the back of his hand by now. Once they had returned to either the helicarrier or headquarters, Emma would immediately return to her quarters, take a shower, change clothes, repack her bag if they were at hq and leave. If they were on the helicarrier, she would got to the gym and work on her hand to hand combat techniques.

But he knew better this time. Because of her little temper tantrum on the way home, Coulson had tattled on her to Fury. And as soon as the Quinjet had touched down at hq, Fury was waiting for them. He and Emma walked one direction, leaving Coulson and Clint behind.

That had been about an hour ago. So Emma's traditional routine had been thrown off. why not throw another wrench into it? Almost on cue, her door opened and there she stood with a bag slung across her shoulder. She actually looked like she was in a hurry to get somewhere.

"Big date?" Clint asked.

"Hun what?" Emma asked a bit startled. "Oh no. Just a lot on my mind. That's all."

"Thanks to me, you still have your mind."

As a shock to Clint, Emma actually smiled. "Yeah, thanks. I'm really sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have tried to attack you for trying to save my life."

"No problem," he said as she walked past him. He quickly turned to catch up with her. "So I was thinking about this entire partner thing. I gotta know more about you if I'm gonna keep saving your ass out there."

Emma stopped and turned to look at him. "In the 6 months that we've been partners, you've saved my ass once! Besides you haven't gone and just looked up my file? I looked up yours the second day we were partnered up."

"I tried! But most of it was classified. Agent Sitwell couldn't even hack it and Coulson refused. He said ask you myself."

"10 more years…" she whispered before turning and walking away.

"What?" Clint asked, catching her arm.

"You wouldn't understand," she said, with tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Try me," he said softly. "Come on. We both have the night off, let's go get something to eat away from here and act like normal human beings for once. Not trained killers."

"Sure."

* * *

"I hope you're right about this, sir," Coulson said as he and Fury watched from a distance as Emma and Clint left S.H.E.I.L.D. headquarters for some random location in downtown Manhattan. The longer he spent with them, the more he worried that the two of them would actually end up killing each other in the end.

"I think she will. Agent Barton is a lost soul like she is. That's why I recruited him." Fury said. "The compliment each other."

Coulson sighed. He really hoped that his boss was right.

* * *

"Ok let me see if I have this right. Today is your 22nd birthday and when you are 32, you can find out who your parents really are?" Clint asked, trying to get the entire story that Emma was telling him.

"Yup," she said taking a sip of her beer. "According to my Aunt Peggy, that is what my parent's will stated. That I could find out 25 years after their death if I was under a certain age. I don't remember much of anything before then anyways."

"Is that why you were so reckless today?"

"A bit. I get yelled at every year. I think of it as Fury's birthday present to me."

Clint laughed. "That's a horrible birthday present!"

Emma shrugged. "He does at least tell me happy birthday. but he reminds me not to be so damn reckless or else I won't make it another year."

"How long have you been with S.H.E.I.L.D.?"

"Since I was 18. I was home schooled so I finished quickly and then zipped through undergrad at NYU in linguistics from when I was 15 to 18. Since Aunt Peggy was a founding member of S.H.E.I.L.D., I basically had to go into the 'family business' as she called it."

"At least you had someone who forced you to go to school."

"And the circus folk didn't teach you anything?"

"So you really did read my file!"

"Told you I did."

"They taught me a few things. But I did call my mom and tell her that I managed to get my GED a few years back and she was proud of that."

"Did you call and tell her about your new gig?"

"Can we do that?"

"Some of us do tell, others don't. It's really up to each of us."

Clint thought about it for a minute. Emma did have a point. Perhaps he should call and talk to his mom, or even pay her a visit when he has a few days of down time. "Why haven't we talked like this before now?"

"Because everyone who has every gotten to know has left me." Emma said turning and looking away from him.

"Wait…what?"

"I was home schooled because I was the freak without parents. I couldn't remember them, but I could do math and science problems that were at high school levels when I was in 3rd grade. At NYU, I was still looked at as a freak because I was so young. So I couldn't go to any social functions because of my age. When I got to S.H.E.I.L.D., I guess I tried to hard to make friends that I scared most of the other recruits around my age away. That's why I was sent into covert ops. I sometimes think that Coulson is my only friend. Well him and books."

He didn't know what to say. He had heard some of the other agents about his age saying stuff about Emma, like she was a deadly assassin and would probably kill any partner that she had just so that she could go back into covert ops on her own, and he had thought (briefly) that some of it might actually be true about her. But now he was rethinking that.

All she wanted and needed was a friend – someone to talk to.

"Here's to many more happy birthdays," he said raising his beer glass. Emma smiled and raised hers as well before taking a drink.

* * *

"Come on wake up sleepy head," Emma said shaking Clint's sleeping form.

"Hun what?" Clint asked, opening his eyes. He sat up and looked all around. He was sitting on a couch in the middle of an apartment. He was still wearing the clothes he had on from the night before, minus his shoes. "Where am I?"

"My apartment. We're not far from HQ. But Coulson just called. We have a briefing in 30 minutes."

"Ok quick question. Why am I in your apartment?"

"You got extremely drunk last night. My apartment was closer than hq." Emma said making some coffee for them.

"Oh God. Did I do anything stupid?" he asked standing up and walking into the kitchen. She handed him a cup of coffee.

"Besides tell me that my ass was hot several times," she said, turning and walking back towards her bedroom. Before she shut the door she turned to look at him. "Oh and you felt me up a few times."

He stood there in horror as Emma shut the door to finish getting ready to go. He was never drinking again in his life.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Emma and Clint sat in a briefing room with Coulson. "This mission is a solo mission for Emma," Coulson said. "Clint will serve as backup only if Emma isn't heard from for more than a week."

"Where am I going?"

"Lucerne, Switzerland."

"A neutral country?" Emma asked confused.

"A neutral country where a suspected Russian arms dealer is setting up shop. Emma get in there, do what you do best and take care of him. Take all the time that you need, but make sure to keep contact at least once a week. If contact is not made, then I'm sending in a team for your extraction led by Clint."

Emma nodded before standing up to leave the room. Clint followed her lead. So far they had never done a mission like this before, so he wasn't certain about what the protocol was. They walked into the hallway and down it in silence for several minutes.

"So how does this work now?" he finally asked.

"I go home, pack, go to the airport, catch a flight to London, do a bit of shopping then head over to Switzerland."

"What about me?"

"Probably once they know I am in, you and a team will be sent to Switzerland for extraction just in case. Or they may keep you on the helicarrier until they need to send you in if needed. Who knows."

Clint didn't like where this was going. He had a bad feeling about all of this.

"I promise to bring you back some chocolate!" Emma said with a smile. "And I'll always make sure that I am armed."

"Good."

She turned to leave then stopped. "Thank you for last night," she said. "I really did have a lot of fun."

"Even if I did feel you up?"

"Who says I didn't do the same?" she said in a whisper before leaving.

* * *

_**AN #2: I know that I didn't go into much detail about what Emma and Clint did on Emma's birthday. But I'm saving that for next chapter. He has to have something to think about while she's gone!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**_Disclaimer: I don't own them – you know typical stuff._**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

_Emma's eyes moved in and out of focus. She couldn't tell if what she was seeing was real or not. Had Alexi just been shot in the arm – with an arrow?_

_Her eyes crossed then closed as darkness took over._

_"Emma! Emma!"_

_She heard her name but couldn't respond. She was too weak and too drugged up on whatever Alexi Lukin had injected into her system. How could have she let her guard down like this? She was better than this. She felt herself being lifted off the floor of the room where she had locked away in for the last few days._

_"Hold on, Emma," the voice whispered that had picked her up. "Help's on the way."_

_Still unable to open her eyes, she knew that voice. Deep in the back of her mind she knew that voice…but who was it? Everything was so foggy. Suddenly it felt like her heart was going to explode and her entire body began to jerk. The person who was carrying her just about dropped her but managed to hold on._

_Clint had no idea what to do. Emma's body continued to jerk in his arms. After a few seconds, he gently lay her down on the floor of the room where he and the other S.H.E.I.L.D. agents had found her. Her body continued to seize on the floor._

_"Ha! You're too late!" Alexi Lukin taunted from the corner where he was in S.H.E.I.L.D. custody. "All her organs are shutting down!"_

_Without thinking Clint holstered another arrow into his bow and sent it flying into Lukin's other arm. The two other S.H.E.I.L.D. agents backed off as Clint approached the Russian arms dealer. This time instead of going for another arrow, he went for his side arm. "How the hell do we stop it!" he demanded holding the pistol to the Russian's head._

_"You can't. She's as good as dead."_

* * *

**One day earlier…**

Clint stared out of the window of the 747 that was carrying him back to New York from a short trip back to Iowa where he had gone to visit his mom. It had been about a month since Emma had left for Switzerland and he hadn't had too many solo missions, so he asked for some time off to go see his mom. Coulson didn't see why he couldn't take a few days to visit his family – just as long as he kept his cell phone on him at all times in case he was going to have to be picked up on the way to go get Emma out of a situation in Europe.

Thankfully he never got a phone call. So at least he knew that she had made her weekly check in while he was gone.

During his time at home, Clint had thought a lot about the last few months with S.H.E.I.L.D. – especially about Emma. The last few weeks had been long and boring without her. He had gotten so used to having her around to bicker back and forth with or even to train with, that training with any of the other recruits wasn't the same. He had been sent on a few solo missions within the United States, but nothing grand scale - mainly sniper killings.

But it still wasn't the same.

"Whoever this partner of yours is must be special because you won't stop talking about them." Edith Barton said one night to her son, as they cleaned the kitchen together. Clint stopped mid-sentence and thought about what his mother just said. Emma was special – one of a kind in fact.

Holy hell.

He was falling for his partner.

Sure Emma was hot. He had thought that the first time he saw her. Then there was her birthday when he got drunk and supposedly told her that her ass was hot and felt her up a time or two. Yet on the other hand, she had told him that she might have felt him up as well.

Dammit! Women were so confusing! Here he was 24 years old and still didn't know how the hell the woman brain worked.

"Might I make a suggestion," his mother had said. "Ask her out. What's the worst that could happen? You'll still be partners in the field, but if mutual feelings of love and respect are there then things could only get better could they?"

"Yeah. But what if what things go wrong? I'm horrible with women, mom."

"We don't live in a world of 'what ifs', Clinton."

Perhaps his mother had been on to something. It was settled. As soon as he could muster up the courage to ask, Clint was going to ask Emma to go out on a date with him.

"Um, excuse me sir."

The airline stewardess brought Clint out of his thoughts. He looked up the young woman who seemed a bit uneasy at the moment. "Yes?"

"Umm, there's a phone call for you back here in the galley," she said.

"Excuse me?"

"He said to tell you his name was Phil Coulson."

Clint chuckled to himself for a moment then stood up. "Ok where's the phone," he said.

The stewardess led him back to the galley where he picked up the receiver. "How'd you know what flight I was on?" Clint immediately asked when the stewardess seemed to be out of earshot.

"It's my job to know these things. But we have a bigger problem. Emma's missing. We're getting you now."

"Excuse me?"

"_I'm sorry folks," _the Captain said coming over the PA system of the plane in the middle of the conversation between the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. "_It seems like we're having a bit of a mechanical problem. So we're going to have to divert to Cincinnati and switch out planes. Shouldn't take but 30 minutes or so. They already have a plane waiting on standby for us…"_

"You're good, Coulson. Real good." Clint said into the receiver.

"Like I said, it's my job."

"So you're gonna get my luggage too?"

* * *

"Let me guess, you had a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in baggage?" Clint said as he sat on the Quinjet with Coulson a few minutes later. Somehow in the chaos of having to swap planes, Coulson had managed to get Clint his luggage and get him onto the Quinjet in a matter of minutes.

"There are S.H.I.E.L.D. agents everywhere. Haven't you figured that out yet?"

Clint shrugged. "So what's going on with Emma?"

Coulson handed him a datapad with the video feed from Emma's apartment in Lucerne, Switzerland. "This is the video we got 3 hours ago from Emma's apartment," Coulson said.

Clint watched the feed. It was the typical video feed of Emma getting ready to call it a night, checking emails, doing her nightly routine of taking off her make up from her day job pretending to be a photographer for a fashion magazine out of London. "Ok what's wrong with this feed?" he asked when it was over.

"This is the same feed that was used exactly one week ago. Someone's hacked into her system and is reusing old footage. Emma should have been at a party as the date of Alexi Lukin, her target. It would have been their fourth date this week."

"Why am I going in then? Because someone hacked her system?"

"Oh we knew someone hacked her system. That's why she began allowing herself to be tracked all the time with a miniature GPS. But that too went off line an hour ago. That's why you are going in."

Coulson pulled up the last coordinates that Emma had transmitted. "It's Lukin's house, just outside of Lucerne. Get in there, get her and get out. If you get Lukin even better."

* * *

Emma sat tied to a chair as her face took a backhanded slap across it. As a result, her lip began to bleed again and her already blacked eye began to re-swell.

"Now why is it that you lied to me about who you were?" Alexi asked as he grabbed her by her throat and picked her up out of the chair. She gasped for air for a minute.

"Weapons," she barely breathed.

"Oh weapons are the tip of the iceberg," he said as he threw her onto a nearby bed. She landed with a hard thud. She moaned.

Lukin walked back over to her and turned her back over to face her as he pulled open a drawer next to the bed. He pulled out a syringe full of a clear liquid. "This one it is done being tested will be the newest weapon able to kill in a matter of hours," he said, injecting the full syringe into Emma's hip. "And you my dear are test subject alpha."

* * *

It had been the longest flight of Clint's life. After stopping for re-enforcements at the Helicarrier and Clint's gear, it was on to Lucerne for the extraction of Emma. Most of the flight, he and Coulson were going over what images of the house they had to see where they would enter and how they would get out. Luckily, from their latest intel, the supposed party that Lukin and Emma were supposed to attend that night wasn't at that house but somewhere else.

That was a plus – less causalities.

The plan was simple. It looked like Lukin had maybe 10 to 15 bodyguards at most, while Coulson had picked up 20 reinforcements for Clint, while Clint by himself could take out just as many men on his own with his bow and arrows. They would simply go in the front door.

* * *

The first wave of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents went first into the house, followed closely behind by Clint and three others. Clint quickly took out three bodyguards who were coming around the corner with his arrows. "You two search downstairs, you three with me upstairs," Clint yelled, halfway up the stairs.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents listened to their orders, while the other agents engaged the other bodyguards.

Kicking in all the doors in the second story, Clint aimed to shoot anything that moved. In the first few rooms, nothing. Then he got lucky and found a few bodyguards to shoot at.

But behind door number three, he got real lucky.

Alexi Lukin stood over someone injecting something into their arm. Clint quickly shot him in the arm, causing him to drop the syringe and stumble back from the bed, revealing Emma. The other three S.H.E.I.L.D. agents quickly came into the room and grabbed Alexi to arrest him

"Coulson, I've found her!" he said through the comm link, moving towards Emma. "But she needs medical attention now!"

"Get her outside and the helicarrier is on the way."

* * *

Emma's eyes moved in and out of focus. She couldn't tell if what she was seeing was real or not. Had Alexi just been shot in the arm – with an arrow?

Her eyes crossed then closed as darkness took over.

"Emma! Emma!"

She heard her name but couldn't respond. She was too weak and too drugged up on whatever Alexi Lukin had injected into her system. How could have she let her guard down like this? She was better than this. She felt herself being lifted off the floor of the room where she had locked away in for the last few days.

"Hold on, Emma," the voice whispered that had picked her up. "Help's on the way."

Still unable to open her eyes, she knew that voice. Deep in the back of her mind she knew that voice…but who was it? Everything was so foggy. Suddenly it felt like her heart was going to explode and her entire body began to jerk. The person who was carrying her just about dropped her but managed to hold on.

Clint had no idea what to do. Emma's body continued to jerk in his arms. After a few seconds, he gently lay her down on the floor of the room where he and the other S.H.E.I.L.D. agents had found her. Her body continued to seize on the floor.

"Ha! You're too late!" Alexi Lukin taunted from the corner where he was in S.H.E.I.L.D. custody. "All her organs are shutting down!"

Without thinking Clint holstered another arrow into his bow and sent it flying into Lukin's other arm. The two other S.H.E.I.L.D. agents backed off as Clint approached the Russian arms dealer. This time instead of going for another arrow, he went for his side arm. "How the hell do we stop it!" he demanded holding the pistol to the Russian's head.

"You can't. She's as good as dead."

* * *

Most of the S.H.E.I.L.D. agents had stayed behind for clean up and to make sure that all of Lukin's bodyguards had been rounded up and properly arrested. Most of them were actually wanted criminals by either local law enforcement agencies or INTERPOL, so it worked out for the best.

Lukin on the other hand was being handed over to INTERPOL for several different crimes before being handed over to S.H.E.I.L.D. for anything. That was fine with Fury for now because he was pretty sure that if Emma or even Clint ever saw Lukin again then he was as good as dead.

That was if Emma ever recovered.

It was touch and go all the way back to the helicarrier for Emma. Whatever Lukin had injected into her was indeed shutting down her organs. The medics on the helicarrier had managed to stabilize her, but she was still not out of the woods yet.

"What do you mean, she has to be put in a medically induced coma for a few days?" Clint asked in confusion as Emma was transported from the helicarrier to the medical facility back at headquarters.

"It's a long story, Agent Barton," Fury said. "But its not mine to tell."

* * *

"So you must be Agent Barton," a soft voice said, as Clint opened the door to Emma's recovery room. Sitting next to her bed, was an older woman. She placed the book she was reading down in her lap and smiled. "I'm Peggy Carter, Emma's aunt."

"Nice to meet you, ma'am," he said. "I didn't mean to intrude. I was just checking on Emma. It had been a few days since the doctors put her in the coma and I was just seeing how she was doing."

"Oh she is doing fine," Peggy said. "They just want to make sure that there is no brain swelling due to whatever that nasty man gave her because of those seizures. She had some, but it seemed to be dropping. Nothing long term, they think. No lasting damage."

"Well that's good, I think," Clint said sitting down in another chair. "Has something like this happen to her before?"

"When she was younger, yes. Nasty car accident. That's why we're being so careful with her head."

"Oh."

Peggy smiled. "You know the doctors said that she should be awake tomorrow morning. Why not come back then. I'm sure she'd love to see you, since you were the one that saved her."

* * *

The next day, Clint was back at the medical facility as soon as he was doing with some training exercises. He couldn't just blow off his training given the fact that his partner was laid up in the hospital. As he approached her room, Peggy Carter was just leaving.

"Oh Agent Barton! Good morning," she said smiling at him. "I was just going to get her some frozen yogurt at her request. Be mindful, she is a bit grouchy."

"Thank you," Clint said before going into the room. "I'll keep that in mind."

Clint cautiously opened the door and peered inside before peeking his head inside. "Surprise! Miss me sunshine!" he said putting on a goofy smile.

"If I had a knife, you would be less an eyeball right now."

"Now that's the Emma I know!" he said walking into the room and sitting down next to her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Like hell."

"In all honesty, you do look a lot better. Lukin did one hell of a number on you."

She glared at him.

"I'm sorry I took so long to get there, Emma," he said looking away from her. "I would have been there an hour sooner if I hadn't of gone home to see my mom. Coulson had to get me off a plane. It was crazy. I can't help but feel that if I could have only gotten there sooner, you might not have gotten so much of that weird drug injected into you."

Emma reached out and took a hold of his arm. She would have reached for his hand, but it still hurt to stretch too far. Clint got the message and took ahold of her hand. "At least you got there," she said smiling. "That's twice you saved me now. I've gotta step up my game."

"Well since you are in my debt, you could do something for me."

"Depends."

"Let me take you out on a date. No guns. No S.H.E.I.L.D. No mission."

"No beer."

"And no beer," he added. "I still don't remember everything that happened that night."

"Oh I do and I have pictures," she said grinning evilly.

"Destroy them, please."

"Never," she said with a smile. "But yes. I will go out on a date with you Clint. A real date."

* * *

_AN: Since I ended 'Things They Carry' with a cliffie, I couldn't end this one with one – but since you would know the outcome, it wouldn't be much of one anyways. It's like 4 am and I need sleep. So enjoy and please…REVIEW! =)_


	4. Chapter 4

_**AN and Disclaimer: I don't own them – I'm just borrowing them for a bit. So please enjoy and of course review! Reviews make me happy!**_

* * *

**Chapter Four:**

It had been about 10 days since she had come to from the medically induced coma and week since she had been released from the watchful eyes of S.H.E.I.L.D. medics. Her aunt Peggy had promised to make sure that she would stay with her and take care of her for a few more days. Fury and Coulson both had told her to take at least another week off to heal and get her strength back up. And if either of them saw her anywhere near S.H.E.I.L.D. HQ, then she would be suspended for another week. They knew that would get her attention.

So in celebration of her successful recovery coming to an end, Clint asked if he could take her out on that date that she promised him while she was in the infirmary during an afternoon phone call a few days after she gone home to recover.

There was silence on the other end. He began to wonder if she even remembered what she had promised him. "Umm Emma?"

"Yeah."

"Do you remember that you said I could take out on a date right?"

"I remember. But are you sure that you really want to take me out on a date?"

"I do because if I didn't then I wouldn't have asked."

She sighed. "I guess you can still take me out. How about this weekend? Saturday?"

"Saturday sounds great. I'll pick you up about 10 am. This is going to be an all day thing. So dress comfortably."

She laughed a bit. "I'll see you then."

After Emma hung up the phone, Clint sat starring at the wall in his S.H.E.I.L.D. quarters. Why had Emma suddenly sounded unsure about the entire date idea? She had seemed fine about it a few days ago. Could it had been that she had time to think about it and decided that she didn't like him in that way and just wanted to let him down easily.

No he was pretty sure it wasn't that. She had admitted to him that she had felt him up before.

So what was it?

Then he remembered their conversation from the night of her birthday…_"I was homeschooled because I was the freak without parents. I couldn't remember them, but I could do math and science problems that were at high school levels when I was in 3__rd__ grade. At NYU, I was still looked at as a freak because I was so young. So I couldn't go to any social functions because of my age. When I got to S.H.E.I.L.D., I guess I tried to hard to make friends that I scared most of the other recruits around my age away. That's why I was sent into covert ops. I sometimes think that Coulson is my only friend. Well him and books…"_

Oh God. What if she thought that this was a pity date! How could he be such a dumb ass! It had taken him seven months to finally figure Emma Carter out – she was a lot like himself. She didn't want to open herself up to being hurt because she had been hurt so much in the past, like he had been both with his father and brother (along with several ex-girlfriends). And that caused his self-esteem to suffer. That was one reason why he threw himself into archery. But Emma was just a little different. What she lacked in self-esteem, she made up for in everything else. That was why she didn't get along with other people. That was why she didn't want a partner to begin with. That was why she hadn't opened herself up to him until the night of her birthday.

She hadn't of known how to.

Wait a second…what if she had never even been on a date before? Maybe that was why she was having doubts about this entire thing.

He was going to have his work cut out for him. Hopefully it would be worth it in the end.

* * *

"Wow, you look great!" Clint said as soon as Emma had opened the door to her apartment on Saturday morning.

"Are you sure that I'm not too overdressed?" she asked nervously. She was wearing a cute summer dress that was a light purple color with a pair of black wedges.

"Compared to my jeans and shirt, yeah you are. But for what I've got planned, no you're not. Except maybe the shoes. Are they comfy?"

"Actually they are."

"Ok then, you ready?"

"Yup," she said grabbing her purse and a light sweater.

* * *

"The American Museum of Natural History?" Emma asked confused a bit.

"Yeah, I figured that since you grew up in New York you probably came here bunch growing up. And I never really got to go to museums being a carney. But contrary to popular believe, I do like history. I hope you don't mind. It was either here or a Yankees game. And I wasn't sure if you were a Yankees girl or a Mets girl."

"No this is perfect! It's my second favorite place to go!"

"Let me guess the first place is the New York Public Library?"

"Close, Library of Congress," she said with a smile, as she took his hand and pulled him up the steps of the museum.

The majority of the day was spent wandering the three floors of the vast museum and just talking about little things from their lives. Emma learned more about Clint's time with the traveling circus and learning archery while he learned more about her love of knowledge and just how smart she really was. He even learned that while her major at NYU was linguistics, she minored in chemistry.

"So basically if we were stuck in the middle of no where, you could throw something together and make a bomb?" he asked, intrigued.

"It's not that that simple, but I bet that I could come up with some pretty snazzy arrowheads for you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, get Coulson to approve it and I'll work on it."

After the museum, Clint let Emma make the suggestion for dinner since she knew the best places to eat.

"I know just the place!" she said with a smile. "You like pizza right?"

"Who in their right mind doesn't?"

"Then to Times Square we go! It's just off of Broadway. John's Pizzeria!"

* * *

After a dinner of pizza without beer – Clint insisted on not having a repeat of Emma's birthday – followed by a long walk back to Emma's apartment, the two S.H.E.I.L.D. agents still had not stopped finding things to talk about. Clint figured that they had talked more during this one day then during their first few months of being partners.

He was right. All Emma needed was a friend and perhaps a date.

"I had fun today," Emma said stopping at her apartment door. "Actually the most fun I've had in a long time. Thank you."

She smiled at him and actually meant it.

"I'm glad," he said smiling back at her.

Their eyes locked for a brief moment as Clint brought his hand up to gently trace the side of Emma's face. He had never noticed how pretty her soft brown eyes were. Without hesitation or thinking, he pulled her flush against him and kissed her deeply on the lips. He could feel Emma hesitate at first, but her hesitation quickly disappeared as she returned the kiss.

After a few seconds they parted. Neither of them said anything at first.

"Umm, that Yankees game is still on if you want to come in and watch it with me. Aunt Peggy made me some cookies last week and I have a ton still left over. That is if you want." Emma offered, blushing a little as she fumbled for her keys.

"I'd like that."

* * *

The morning sun warmed the side of Clint's face. As he opened his eyes, he realized that he had fallen asleep in Emma's apartment – again.

Dammit did he get shit faced again?

No he had made sure of that.

Oh yeah, he and Emma both had fallen asleep watching the Yankees game the night before. He had woken up in the middle of the night to find Emma curled up next to him in a blanket. She looked so cute when she slept. So he had stretched her all the way out on the couch and moved over to a chair so he could get some more sleep.

He watched her for a few more minutes, as she soundly slept. She really was beautiful.

Damn he was lucky.

The night before they had decided to give this dating thing a try. That was after several kisses. The deal was that if it got in the way of their partnership, then they would end their romantic relationship and continue their professional one. The other thing was that Emma admitted she had never, ever been in a relationship before.

Clint had been right – though he wouldn't tell her that.

He promised her that they would take things slow and he wouldn't pressure he to do anything. Besides it wasn't like he was God's gift to women, though he didn't say that out loud.

But he was determined to make this work.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I don't own them – just borrowing them for a bit! See AN at the bottom!**_

* * *

_**Chapter Five:**_

Emma somersaulted out of the way of a barrage of arrows from Clint in one of the training facilities of S.H.E.I.L.D. HQ. "Stop taking it easy on me!" she taunted.

"I'm not!" he said reloading his bow and firing again at her as she put together her bo staff and charged at him. She quickly swiped at his feet to try to trip him, but he dodged her. She back flipped, regained her bearings and this time managed to take his feet out from underneath him.

"Do not take it easy on me dammit!" she said slamming her staff against his rib cage as he lay on the mat below her. Thank goodness he had decided to wear an extra padded vest for the morning's training session.

"Jesus Emma, I wasn't!" he said putting his hands up in a defensive position. He yanked the bo staff from her, snapped it back into its smaller size and threw it to the side. "Have you thought that maybe we're finally used to each other and our tactics?"

"Perhaps," she said reaching down to help him up off the mat. "It was either that or else I need a new partner."

"Oh a new partner, hun?" Clint asked as he pulled her close.

"Clint…" she warned. "Not here."

He grinned. He knew that she drew the line about showing any displays of affection at work. That was one of the very few rules that their romantic relationship had thus far. So far they had been doing pretty good at keeping a lid on their budding romance for the few weeks that they had been together. Just a few stolen kisses here and there, especially when they were on duty shifts at HQ. They hadn't been assigned many missions either. Emma was still building her strength back up from the Lukin fiasco. Neither of them seemed to care. Gave them more time to spend with each other outside of S.H.E.I.L.D. They had gone out on a few more dates – some of the other museums in New York, a Yankees game or two or helping out at Aunt Peggy's two bookstores, which Clint found out was what Emma typically did during her time off. He thought that it was sweet that Emma helped out her Aunt so much.

"Not here what?" he said still smiling. He let go of her and walked over to where her bo staff lay on the training mat. He picked it up and handed it to her. "Come on, I'm sure its quitting time soon and I owe you dinner out tonight."

"Says who?"

"Says me," he said winking at her.

* * *

"Think they are ready sir?" Coulson asked as he and Fury monitored Barton and Carter's training session.

"I do. They finally trust each other. Plus more, which is good."

"Hopefully it doesn't get in the way." Coulson said with a bit of worry in his voice. He worried that a romantic relationship between agents would get in the way of what needed to be done.

"Emma needs it."

"Sir?" Coulson said a bit shocked. He was surprised that Fury wasn't angry about the relationship between Barton and Carter.

"You know how Emma grew up. She needs what Agent Barton is giving her. Like I said before, they compliment each other. Now call them in."

"Yes sir."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Emma and Clint both sat in a briefing room with Fury and Coulson. "We've been sitting on these missions for a while," Fury said. "We were waiting to make sure that we had the right set of partners to undertake the missions."

"What is it sir?" Emma asked.

"A series of assassinations." Fury said handing them a set of files on a data pad.

They began to scan the files. The assassinations ranged from businessmen and women to world leaders to drug lords to crime kingpins around the world. "All of these targets are threats to the well being and safety of the citizens of the planet. Most have ties to terrorist groups or are terrorists themselves. Take these targets out."

"Wow," was all Clint could say.

"How?" was Emma's next question.

"You know I won't ask how you did it Agent Carter, just as long as it is not an embarrassment. You know how these type of covert ops run. Help Agent Barton out." Fury said with a slight smile. "Whatever you need, you've got it. Just report back to HQ once a month. Coulson will be in touch more often if needed."

"Yes, sir," Emma said, picking up the data pad, standing up and leaving the room. Clint followed her lead, still a bit shocked at what they were just assigned to do. Sure he had been assigned sniper killings before while at S.H.E.I.L.D., but not simply handed a dozen or so files and basically been told to go out and just take out all the targets on their own. Obviously Emma had been given tasks like this before.

"What now?" Clint asked as they headed down the hallway.

"We pack and head for London."

"Why always London?"

"That's my European base of operations. You think I can live out of a suitcase like you?"

* * *

"You know a Quinjet would have been faster," Clint said as got the last of his and Emma's luggage out of the back of the cab while Emma paid the drive. It was the middle of the afternoon the following day.

"What's the fun in that?" she said as she picked up her shoulder bag and hoisted it up on her shoulder before pulling up the retractable handle on her upright bag. She walked into a townhouse in front of her.

"I'm just saying. That's all," Clint said following her inside after she had unlocked the front door.

"This is an undercover op. Coming in on a Quinjet isn't very undercover." Emma said once they were inside. "Now flying into Heathrow is much better idea."

"I guess," he said, setting down his bags. "So is this place yours or is it S.H.E.I.L.D.s?" he asked looking around.

"Its mine. Well it was my aunts. I bought it from her and had it fixed up a few years ago as one of my first big investments once I began working for S.H.E.I.L.D." Emma said as she showed him around the townhouse. "We would come here during the summer and I loved it so much that when she wanted to sell it when she got to old to maintain it that I wanted to buy it. So I use it whenever I'm sent to Europe for missions or I just want to escape New York."

She led him up to the second floor and down a hallway. "Here's your room. I figured you rather sleep in a bed than on the couch like you end up doing at my other place. And the bathroom is right down the hallway."

"And what about you?" he asked pulling her close.

"Right across the hall," she said pointing over his shoulder to where a set of double doors.

"Damn."

She smiled and kissed his lips softly as she pulled out of his arms. "I'm going to run to the store and pick up something for dinner. Do you want to come?"

"And let you out of my sight? Never."

Emma just rolled her eyes at him and shook her head. "You're pitiful sometimes," she said leading him back downstairs.

"You've made me that way."

"Whatever."

* * *

"Here's our first target," Emma said tacking up a picture on the wall in her study a little while later. "Reynaud Corin. He's a business man from Paris who likes to dabble in illegal arms sales on the side."

"Ok so how do we take him out?" Clint asked looking over the various surveillance photos that they currently had of him already as he sat on one of the couches that Emma had furnishing the study.

"Tomorrow we head to Paris for our own surveillance and recon. Then we figure out how we're going to take him out."

"One more question, how did my bow get through customs and how will it get through it again without triggering all sorts of questions?"

"The cases that S.H.E.I.L.D. uses disrupt the technology of the x-rays and scanning machines. Plus there are enough S.H.E.I.L.D. agents' working in all major airports and other travel destinations that our weapons can get in and out if we need them to with ease. Besides we're not flying into Paris. We're taking the train. Makes things a little easier. Plus more time for us," Emma said moving to sit on his lap.

"Now that I like," he said kissing her deeply.

Kissing Emma was one thing. He loved it. In fact, he couldn't get enough of it at times. He had promised her that they would take things slow and so far he had lived up to that promise. But that hadn't meant he hadn't gotten a feel of her breasts every so often or cupped her ass on occasion. He was a guy for crying out loud! He wondered if she had felt his reaction to her because it was fully obvious at times.

God he was going to need a cold shower after this.

"You know if you keep kissing me like this baby," Clint said in between kisses that she was placing along his neck "I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be able to how out."

Emma froze and slowly pulled away from him. She tried to get up off his lap but Clint held her firmly there. "No Emma, we are talking about this right now. You have been avoiding the subject for the last few days. Whenever we start to get too far in kissing, you stop things. Why? What are you afraid is going to happen?"

"I'm afraid that you're going to leave me! That I won't be good enough for you! You've been with others before and I haven't!" she said managing to get out of his grasp. She stood up and headed for the door of the study.

"You know that is all bullshit, Emma!" he yelled back at her retreating form. He knew it was useless. He couldn't win this battle right now.

Something had been bugging Emma for the last few days. He could tell. Ever since their last training session at S.H.E.I.L.D. HQ when she had yelled at him for taking it easy on her then beating him with her bo staff. That wasn't like her.

He would let her be for now.

* * *

_Everything burned. Inside and out. She screamed for anyone for help. But no one came. She could feel her insides burning as she began to convulse. Eventually everything caught fire and imploded around her. _

Emma sat up breathing hard. This was getting ridiculous. It had been well over a month since the incident in Switzerland and she was still having nightmares about it. She hadn't told anyone about the dreams and the lack of sleep that resulted from it – not even Clint. In all honesty, she had thought they would have gone away. But they hadn't. Instead they had come more often.

She glanced over at the clock by her bed.

2:30 a.m.

Time for some tea then. Maybe that would help her get back to sleep without any more dreams.

She got out of bed and slipped on some house shoes. Hopefully that would muffle her footsteps as she walked past the room where Clint was sleeping on her way downstairs to make some tea.

* * *

Clint lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. What could be bothering Emma? How could he prove to Emma that he wouldn't leave her and that he actually loved her?

Holy crap.

He loved her.

He was a goner.

In a little over a month he had fallen in love. There was no way in hell he was telling her this anytime soon. If he did, he knew that he would be one of two things….1) dead or 2) more dead. But it was the truth. He did love Emma Carter. If he didn't, then why else would he be putting himself through so many cold showers?

Out in the hallways, he heard a floorboard squeak as someone softly walked a crossed it. He glanced at his watch on his nightstand. It was 2:30 in the morning. What was Emma doing up? Better find out if everything was ok.

* * *

"Dammit" Emma mumbled to herself digging through the cabinet in search of some honey. She had hit the back of her head on the cabinet as she had reached towards to back to get the honey jar. But a little bump was going to be worth it for a little bit of sweetness in her tea. As she closed the cabinet, she gasped in shock as seeing Clint standing there. He was standing there in nothing but his pj pants.

"Oh my God! What are you doing up!" she gasped.

"I would ask you the same thing," he said.

"I couldn't sleep. So I was making some tea. It usually helps. Want some?"

"Naw, I'll have a glass of milk though," he said getting some milk out that they had bought while they had been out earlier.

Emma sat down on a barstool at her counter and sipped her tea while Clint stood across from her and drank his glass of milk.

"I know something is bugging you. Are you going to tell me what it is?" he finally asked when he was finished with his milk.

"I've been having nightmares about whatever Lukin did to me. I relive the burning feeling. I can't sleep. Sometimes I'm even afraid to go to sleep."

"And why hadn't you told me or anyone about these dreams earlier?"

"I didn't want to be put on leave again. I hate being out of the field."

Clint saw her point there. He, like her, hated to be taken out of the field for anything – especially for an injury. And if anyone knew that Emma was mentally sound, then she wouldn't be allowed in the field.

"What if I slept with you?" he offered.

"Excuse me?"

"Not like that – yet at least," he said walking towards her. "But what if I slept in the same bed as you. You never know, it might help. Cuddling is optional."

"At this point," she said yawning. "I am willing to try anything."

Emma quickly finished her tea and the two of them made their way back up to her bedroom where they climbed into her bed. At first, Clint wasn't sure which way to lie – on his back or on his side. But he had started on his back and that's how Emma had moved against him. He was a bit shocked when she had curled up against him and tried to fall back asleep. He hesitantly put an arm around her and held her close to him. An eventual smile crossed his face. This felt right.

No. It felt perfect.

This was where he belonged and he knew it.

* * *

_**AN: Whew! I hope ya'll liked that chapter! Now when I get the eventual chapters where they do have sex, those who want to read explicit details will be able to do so in separate stories. I will let you know more when the time comes. So look for those soon! Also the stuff about the cases messing up the xrays and scanners, I made all that up...anyways, I hope ya'll enjoyed! Please review! Also don't forget to check out 'The Things They Carry' if you haven't already!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer and AN: I don't own them, I'm just borrowing them for a bit. **_

_**This chapter is completely SMUT! So enjoy! I typically don't write smut, so if its horrible, please forgive and sorry for not posting in almost a week. I needed a vacation...**_

* * *

Chapter Six

For the next hour or so, Clint couldn't help but lay propped up against a pillow, holding Emma's sleeping form in his arms and just watching her sleep. His fingers gently played with a few loose strains of her hair that had fallen over her shoulder. It was so soft. How was it that just about every part of a female was so soft – from their hair to their lips to their skin? God, he could only imagine what the other parts of Emma felt like. Plus with her wearing a skimpy pair of pj boxers and a tank top, left only so much to be imagined.

He knew he was going to need an extra long shower in the morning to handle to hard on he was going to have when he woke up. But damn, it was so worth it.

Emma mumbled something in her sleep and readjusted herself against his chest as she snuggled more into his embrace. He smiled softly and gently kissed her forehead. "I love you Emma," he whispered to her sleeping form.

There he had said it to her first.

Sure it wouldn't count in the long run, but at least he had said it. Plus he wouldn't die a painfully slow death at the hands of a beautiful woman.

Satisfied he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Emma's eyes slowly opened to the morning sun shining on her face. For the first time in almost a month, she felt rested.

And she was pretty sure that some of it had to do with a certain good looking, bare chested boyfriend of hers that was still soundly sleeping against some of the pillows of her bed - who also had his arms wrapped around her. She had to admit that she liked the feeling of being held while she slept. It was almost like that she was protected from all the things that she fought against as an agent of S.H.E.I.L.D.

Trying not to move too much, Emma tilted her head a bit so that she could look at Clint in the early morning light. There were little things about Clint that she loved, but didn't get time to often enjoy – such as the shape of his strong jawline for one. She loved kissing his jawline and neck, plus she loved the reactions that she got from him. She also loved his strong, tone chest and abs. She rarely got to see him shirtless and the first time that she did a few weeks ago, she had gone a bit weak in the knees. All she had wanted to do when she had saw him shirtless for the first time was simply run her fingers down his chest and abs, but all she could do was gape. Even he gave her some grief for it, which caused her to turn a bright shade of red. It was on that day she came up with a question - how could this fine of a specimen of man want to be with her? She really needed to find out the answer to that, but there were still other things that she loved about Clint as well.

Then there were his arms – tone, muscular and strong from all the years of archery practice. Before they had begun to date, she had secretly watched him practice archery for hours at a time. She had enjoyed watching him hone his talent and often times got lost in thought of him wrapping his arms around her to hold her close to him. Even now, she blushed at that memory. Now here she was lying in the arms of the only crush in her life that had taken an interest in her.

She continued to muse to herself about several other attributes that Clint had that she loved – his calloused hands and they way they felt against her soft skin; his smile when she caught him looking at her; his blue eyes and their sparkle; his personality and how she could open up around him, unlike anyone she had ever met before. She could go on and on, but her mind kept going back to the fact that Clint had been the only crush in her life that had taken an interest in her. So why the hell was she running from the idea of taking their relationship to the next level? Sure they had been together for only about a month, but she had known people who went and did it on the first date. She knew exactly how much Clint wanted to be with her - even felt it on occasion too. It was obvious that this wasn't going to be a one-night stand. So why was she so scarred?

Perhaps it was because she was moving into the uncharted territory of her heart. Maybe this was what it felt like to be in love.

Dammit.

That was it. She was in love with Clint Barton and didn't want to mess it up. She had heard horror stories of girls telling their boyfriends that they loved them at the wrong time and the guy leaving them as soon as he could. Oh God, what if Clint did that if she told him that she loved him. She would be devastated. There was no way that she was telling him anytime soon. She was one of S.H.E.I.L.D.'s top spies, so she could keep a secret.

Hopefully she wouldn't have to keep it a secret for too long. She'd find the perfect time to tell him exactly how she felt about him. Perhaps then Clint wouldn't go running for the hills…

Her train of thought was interrupted by Clint began to move his hand along her back, as she lay curled up against his bare chest, while she had been mulling over her thoughts.

"I don't know about you, but I could get used to this," he said.

Emma readjusted her face and smiled up at him. "Me too."

He pressed a kiss into her hair before moving to sit up against the pillows. He pulled Emma up with him. "No more dreams?" he asked, running a finger along the side of her face.

"Nope," she said smiling at him.

"So is this going to be a permanent arrangement or a temporary one?" he asked hopeful.

Emma sighed and pulled out of his arms and moved to the side of the bed. She swung her feet over the side and looked down at them. She knew she was going to have to talk about her feelings sooner or later.

"Come on Em, don't clam up on me," he said reaching over for her. He moved so that he lay horizontally behind her sitting figure. He gently ran a hand along her back.

She took a deep breath and began to talk without looking at him. "You were right last night. I know its all bullshit about what I said. I know that you won't leave me and that I won't be good enough for you. But I am scared that you will realize what a mistake I am since I am so inexperienced…"

"Everybody's gotta start somewhere," Clint said as he sat up next to her. "Besides, I'm no pro at any of this. Trust me Emma, I'm not."

She turned to look at him. "I do trust you," she said.

That was all that Clint needed to hear. He placed both of his hands on the sides of her face and pulled her closer to him. He kissed her deeply on the lips and poured all his feelings, emotions and desire for her into that one single kiss. He felt Emma's breath catch then felt her melt into the kiss as she wrapped her arms around him and let her fingers begin to play with the hair on the back of his neck.

When he broke the kiss, he pulled Emma fully back onto the bed so that she lay against the pillows. She looked up at him as he knelt next to her, waiting for whatever was going to come next. He smiled at her as he ran a hand along the side of her face before leaning in for another earth shattering kiss. After this kiss, he began to pepper her neck, jaw and collar bone with slow, teasing kisses as he gently ran his hand along her stomach and slowly inched the tank top she was wearing up – all the while, Emma moaned and writhed under him as she clawed her nails along his back.

Without hesitation, he pulled her tank top over her head and tossed it to the side. Leaning back for a moment, Clint took in the sight that lay before him – Emma lying against a bed of pillows in nothing but a pair of skimpy boxers. Her taunt nipples teased him as they began to grow hard in the cool air of the room.

"Damn," he whispered in her ear as he leaned over to kiss her again as he gently teased one of her hard nipples with his calloused fingers. "You are so beautiful."

She didn't say anything, but instead her cheeks turned a bit of a blush color. Clint quickly made his way down towards her now heaving chest with his kisses, where he took one nipple in his mouth. He let his tongue flicker back and forth across it while still playing with the other. Above him, Emma continue moaned in pleasure. He smiled to himself as he switched between the nipples, while his free hand trailed down Emma's stomach and trailed along the top of the boxer line.

God he could already feel the heat coming from in between Emma's legs as his hand rested just above the boxer's fabric line. In another quick movement, Emma's boxer bottoms joined the tank top on the floor.

Slowly kissing down her body, Clint savored everything he was doing to Emma. Everything was about to change. He knew that he needed this released…damn did he need it and he was pretty sure that Emma did as well. As he moved down the bed, he lifted Emma's legs over his shoulders so that her legs were spread for him. He wanted to look at her fully.

"God, Emma. You're so wet…" he said practically growling with desire as he gently rubbed her clit before slipping a finger then two inside of her. Damn she was so tight.

"Clint…." she moaned as he kissed down her body as he continued his assault against her clit.

"Tell me what you want baby."

"Please….I need a release…" she hissed as her hands were gripping in his hair now.

Clint bent his fingers so that he rubbed her walls one way as he leaned down and teased her clit with the tip of his tongue. Above him, Emma's back arched as she moaned louder. Knowing that what she wanted and needed was a release, he gently slipped another finger into her, stretching her. He twisted and turned his fingers inside of her as he latched his mouth to her clit as he sucked and teased it with the tip of his tongue.

Within moments, Clint had Emma experiencing the most intense orgasm of her life. He licked his fingers clean before pulling himself up along side of her on the bed as she recovered. He couldn't help but smile at her as she lay against the pillows, her entire body flushed and still panting a bit. "Damn that was good," she breathed.

He leaned over and kissed her lips so that she could taste herself on him. It wasn't a long kiss. He wanted to give her time to recover and give her time to back out from going any further. He sat next to her on the bed and gently stroked her arm.

After a minute or so, she sat up next to him. "Turn about is fair play," she whispered in his ear, before kissing his earlobe. As she did so, she slipped her hand into his pj pants and trailed her fingertips along his erection. Clint moaned deeply. Emma smiled as wrapped her entire hand around his growing erection and began to jerk him off. She was happy with her bit of bravery about wanting to take little advantage of Clint. And she had to admit that the feeling of his erection in her hand was making her very wet. How was it going to fit in her?

"God Emma," he moaned as he pulled her close and kissed her deeply on the lips. He needed Emma now. And from how she was acting, she needed him.

Now there was no turning back. Then he realized that he needed to get something from his room…

He tried to get up, but Emma pulled him right back down. "I've got it covered. Depo shot," she said, basically reading what he was going to do. Without asking any more questions, Clint stood up and rid himself of his pj pants. He wanted Emma to be able to take him all in. For a second, Emma's eyes traveled up and down his body as a smile formed on her face and Clint couldn't help but feel a bit smug knowing that the reason that she was so wet was because of him.

It was him that she wanted and it was him that was going to be her first. And so far, she had been his best – ever.

He crawled back onto the bed and leaned over Emma again. "Tell me again, what do you want now?" he asked as he began to kiss and suck her neck, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"You…I want you…" she moaned.

"It's going to hurt a little," he warned.

"I don't care. I just want to feel you...all of you..."

He smiled as he situated them so that Emma was sitting on top of him and he was guiding her onto him. Shakily, Emma lowered herself onto him. He continued to smile as he watched her face turned from a bit of pain to one of pleasure once she had fully lowered herself onto him. Clint's hands gripped her waist as a guide. He waited a few seconds to allow her to adjust to the new sensation of sex.

She had never felt so alive in all her live nor felt so connected to anyone before. Emma looked down at Clint underneath her and realized that nothing was ever going to be the same between them again. They were now going to be connected more than ever. And that was fine with her.

Her soft brown eyes met his blue ones and they softly smiled at each other. "Ready baby?" he asked. She bit her lower lip and nodded. Slowly Clint guided Emma in lifting up and down on him the first time. Emma moaned deeply and threw her head back. Nothing had ever felt like this before. She felt like she would rip into two.

"That's it Emma, nice and slow," he said, urging her to continue. He had to hold back the urge from rolling them over and pounding the hell out of her. He wanted this to be special. To be perfect. He continued to watch her move slowly up and down on him, her face full of pleasure, her perky tits bouncing ever so slightly up on down on her chest. He lay his head back on the pillow for a moment to take it in as well.

After a few more minutes, Clint couldn't take the slowness any longer. He had needed to get to a release before it drove him crazy. He rolled them over so that her could thrust into her deeper. "You don't know how many times I have dreamt about this in the last few months," he whispered into her ear as he slowly moved into and out of her, building up speed with each thrust. "And this is so much better," he said as he shifted his angle and hit the perfect spot. Emma cried out in pleasure as she wrapped her legs around Clint to hold him closer to her.

Clint smiled as he picked up the pace of his thrusts. He could feel Emma tighten around him as she was about to go over the edge once again.

This was heaven – plain and simple.

Emma's body shuttered as her walls clamped around Clint as he kept thrusting into her as she cried out in pleasure. He knew that he was close himself, so close. Readjusting Emma's legs again, he kept on pushing fasting into her. He buried his face into her neck.

Emma had recovered enough to wrap her arms around his body as he continued to work towards his released.

Then two things happened at once.

"I love you," she whispered into his ear just as he thrust into her as he came. Those three words combined with his climax caused his world to go white for a second. He collapsed against Emma, who just held him in her arms.

'_Dammit_' Emma thought to herself. _'I did not mean to say that!'_

A second later, Clint rolled off of her. He lay next to her and didn't say a word. Had she really just told him that she loved him? Was it 'in the moment' or was it real? Next to him, Emma had curled up into a ball and pulled the sheet up around her naked body. She had just fucked up the only good thing in her life. She sniffled as a tear slowly rolled down her cheek.

"Hey, what's wrong baby?" Clint asked, noticing that Emma was moving away from him. He moved his arms under that sheet and wrapped them around her so that he could pull her close to him.

"You're going to leave me now because I said I love you too early," she flat out admitted, trying not to look at him as he turned her onto her back. A few more tears slipped down her cheeks.

Clint smiled at her and wiped the few tears away. "And why would I do such a thing when I love you too?"

He kissed her deeply on the lips. "You worry too damn much," he said after the kiss.

"One of us has to."

"Worry about everything else besides this relationship, ok?"

Emma nodded kissing him once again. "I'm going to go take a shower. Care to join me?"

Clint raised an eyebrow at her. "Seriously?"

She nodded with a smile on her face. "I've always heard that sex in the shower is amazing."

Without a second thought, Clint stood up and lifted Emma out of the bed with ease. "Let's go find out!" he said heading towards the bathroom.

* * *

After a second round of love making in the shower, Emma and Clint managed to catch a late afternoon Eurostar train to Paris. During the short 2 hour and 15 minute trip, Emma slept against Clint's shoulder. He didn't mind one bit. He knew that she was worn out from the day's earlier activities. And if she was anything like she was in the shower during round two, then he was pretty certain that the next few nights were going to be interesting.

He meant what he had said to he earlier and what he had whispered to her sleeping figure the night before, he did love her. While he had been with a few other women in his lifetime, he hadn't truly loved them.

Emma was the first one he loved with every part of his being. And he hoped that it would always stay that way.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Disclaimer: I don't own them….well Emma I do, but no one else. So enjoy and please leave me some loving!**_

* * *

**Chapter 7:**

Emma sat taking photos of the small office as she sat at a café across the small side street in central Paris, early one morning. This was just one of the many offices that Reynaud Corin had in the city. She was sitting far enough back in the shadows that it seemed like she was taking photos of people passing by.

Thank goodness for S.H.E.I.L.D. technology. They had already been in Paris for about a week. In the span of that week, they had managed to bug all five of his offices in Paris along with his apartment in the heart of the city. Thank goodness he was a bachelor. And the rest of the time, they had been tailing him and following up on any leads via his email communications that they would go through each night at their hotel. The problem was that Reynaud Corin was a paranoid man, who always had at least one bodyguard with him at all times.

"Anything yet?" Clint asked, as he set down a plate of French bread and various jellies in front of Emma along with two cups of some type of coffee, probably a cappuccino of some kind.

"Nothing," she said beginning to pick at a piece of bread. "We're never going to be able to figure out how to get him alone."

"How about we take the part of the day off and do something else. Sometimes a change of pace can help you think. I've never been to Paris before, so let's go see some sights or something. Do something touristy."

"That sounds like a plan," she said taking a sip of the cappuccino.

They quickly finished their breakfast then set off to see some sights.

* * *

"You are crazy. That is six lanes of traffic!" Clint said standing on the corner of the Champs-Elysees looking at the Arc de Triomphe. The cars speed around the Arc, trying to get to the street of their choosing.

"Stairway," Emma said, pointing to a nearby set of stairs. "It leads you under the street."

"That's a lot better then trying to dodge six lanes of traffic," he said following her down the stairs and into the underground walkway. "And I thought New York City traffic was bad. This is ridiculous!"

After the Arc de Triomphe, the pair wandered down the Champs-Elysees, taking in a bit of shopping here and there – more Emma than Clint. Around lunchtime they stopped at another little café, where Clint got his new favorite meal – a croquet-monsieur sandwich.

"If this mission doesn't end soon, you are going to gain 20 pounds," Emma snickered as he downed the sandwich.

"But you will still love all 20 more pounds of me."

"You know I will," she said smiling at him. That was when he noticed something. Emma had merely picked at her sandwich while he had finished his off. She had been the same way at breakfast too.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing."

"Liar. You never pick at your food except when you are thinking or worrying. It's one or the other. Which is it?"

"A little bit of both. Thinking of how to get Corin and worried because I haven't been feeling good lately."

Fear suddenly went through Clint. What if Emma was pregnant? They had only been together a few times, but she told him that she was on birth control. He was too young to be a father! "You're not pregnant are you?" he stammered out.

"Seriously?" she asked. "If you're that worried that the birth control S.H.I.E.L.D. put me and all the other female agents on isn't strong enough, then by all means we can use other protection. Besides I did take a pregnancy test just be sure and I'm not. So don't worry Clint, you're not going to have to settle down just yet."

Silently, Clint was kicking himself. He absolutely loved the feel of being one with Emma in every form and fashion. Besides, whose to say that he wouldn't marry Emma someday? She might just be the one for him.

"Sorry baby, over reaction. So what do you think it is then?"

"I don't know. I guess whenever we get back to New York, I'll go see someone."

Now Clint was even more worried. This was the person who hated to be taken off of duty for anything who was willingly going to go see a doctor? Whatever was bugging Emma must really be bugging her. He really hoped it was nothing serious.

The rest of the day carried on much like the morning had – walking around the streets of Paris, occasionally catching a taxi to another part of the city, such as the garden district. Close to sunset, they stood up on the Eiffel Tower's observation deck and looked out over the city. Clint wrapped his arms around Emma and pulled her flush against him as he stood behind her. She leaned back against him and melted into his embrace.

"Any better baby?" he asked, nudging her neck a little then kissing it softly.

She smiled softly and nodded yes before turning her head to kiss him on the lips. "Today was a good suggestion. I think we did need some time off."

"I have to agree. Now if only we could figure out a way to get Corin alone."

"Yeah…" Emma said trailing off. Then something dawned on her. She quickly dug in her purse for the camera that she had been taking surveillance photos with and began flipping through photos. She noticed a trend.

"What is it?" Clint asked.

"I think I know how to get him," she said with a smile on her face.

* * *

The plan was simple. Every night, Corin went to dinner at the same Paris restaurant without any bodyguards. It would be there that they would strike first. They weren't sure about the reasons why Corin didn't have his bodyguards at dinner, but it seemed to be the only opportunity that they would have. What Emma would do was somehow approach him – either by flirting or spilling something on him – to get his attention. Hopefully that would end up allowing things to progress and Emma would wind up back at Corin's place that night. Either she would somehow get rid of the bodyguards or she would have to fight her way out of there once Corin was killed. The entire time, Clint would be up on the rooftop across from Corin's apartment waiting to take the sniper shot.

"I don't like it," Clint said folding his arms across his chest and leaning back against the bed. He plopped his feet up as well.

"Of course you don't." Emma said as she sorted through the outfits that she did bring with her from London, trying to find the one that would scream "single and looking to mingle" the most to a French man. She grabbed two – a black dress with a matching jacket or a red dress with no sleeves.

"Which one screams 'fuck me'?"

"The red one," he flatly said.

Emma hung back up the black dress and jacket, and then began to strip out of her clothes. Clint gaped at her, wondering what on earth she was doing.

"Are you sure this screams 'fuck me'?" she asked again once she had the red dress. She stood smoothing out all the wrinkles on the dress as she modeled it for Clint.

"Yeah it does," he said with a bit more life as he adjusted his posture on the bed. Emma smiled slightly at him before taking the dress back off and laying it neatly over a chair. She walked over to the bed and sat down next to him.

"I know that this isn't exactly how you would have liked this mission to go down, but it's the only way I think that we can isolate Corin. Remember Fury said be discreet."

"That doesn't mean you have to go and fuck him."

"Who says I'm letting it get that far? Foreplay if anything. But I doubt that even you will allow it to get that far."

"Exactly!"

She gently placed a hand against his cheek and smiled. "You do realize that this is part of our jobs."

But before he could answer her, he noticed something odd. Emma's eyes flashed a vivid yellow color then he felt his cheek get really hot. He quickly pulled back from her as she began to scream. Both of Emma's hands were turning bright yellow and red. Along her arms, where her veins should be was an eerie yellow glow, like her blood had turned to some form of lava. But it wasn't spreading anywhere else in her body but in her arms.

"What's happening!" she screamed as tears ran down her face as she began a panic.

Clint quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and led her into the bathroom, turned on the shower to cold and pulled her in with him. The two of them stood in the shower and watched as Emma's hands slowly faded from yellow and red back to their natural skin tones as the water ran over them. He turned the water off and the two of them stood in the shower dripping wet – him still fully clothed and Emma in her bra and panties. Still shaken, Emma couldn't stand on her own, so Clint took her in his arms and held her while she calmed down.

"Come on," Clint sat grabbing a towel to wrap her in a few minutes later once he had noticed that she had begun to shake and goose bumps were beginning to pop up on her skin. "Let's get dry."

He wrapped her in a towel first then had her sit down on the toilet bowl lid while he stripped off his wet clothes, dried off then wrapped the towel around his waist. He gently helped her stand back up and together they moved into the bedroom. He sat her down on the bed, while he dug through her suitcase for her tank top and pj boxers. Once he found them he helped Emma out of her wet bra and panties and into her dry clothes. After Emma was squared away, he quickly changed into a pair of pj pants.

The entire time, she hadn't said one thing. He sat down on the bed next to where he had sat her down. There were signs that she was visibly shaken still. He knew that he needed to tread lightly with how he talked to her. "Baby?" he softly asked.

"My dreams…burning…what is wrong with me…" she choked out turning to look at him as tears spilled from her eyes once again. She pulled her legs up on the bed and curled into a little ball and began to sob. Clint pulled her into his arms and held her as she continued to cry herself out.

"We'll figure it out Emma. I promise you. What ever is wrong with you, we'll get it fixed," he said as he rocked her in his arms trying to calm her down.

"But what if we can't? What if I'm a freak forever!" she sobbed into his chest.

"Well then I'll just have to learn to deal with very tan and burned skin."

Emma stopped sobbing and looked up at him. He gently wiped any trace of tears away from her eyes. "Em, listen to me. Whatever happened to you did not go past your elbow. It's contained in your hands. But I promise you that I will help you find out whatever is causing this and how to stop it."

"Really?"

He nodded then gently kissed her lips. "Now let's take care of Corin and get the hell back to New York."

"How? Just barge into his apartment and kill him at point blank range?"

"That's always a thought."

Emma thought about it for a minute. There weren't any exterior cameras that would see them coming and if they went down from the roof and used a window for entrance, she could be in and out in a flash. "It actually could work," she said.

"You up for it?" he asked.

She took a deep breath. She couldn't let the new issue she was having with her hands interfere with her work. She would have to get used to it and learn to embrace it. Besides it might be kind of neat to be able to set stuff on fire – if she could figure out how it worked. "Yeah, let's do this."

* * *

Clint watched from a nearby rooftop with batted breath as Emma descended to the window ledge of the bedroom of Corin. It was a far back window that was down an alleyway instead of a main front window. Within seconds, she had jimmied the window opened and slipped inside.

Now she had 30 seconds to get in, inject Corin with a mixture of drugs that would mimic the signs of a massive heart attack during an autopsy but wouldn't show up in a toxicology report and then get out of there. He glanced at the timer. 20 seconds. He wondered just how many times Emma had done this on her own in the past. 10 seconds. Where was she? 5 seconds. Thank God. He spotted Emma on the window ledge before she took a graceful drop about 30 feet or so to the pavement below.

Damn, do they actually train agents to take falls like that? He watched as she emerged from the alleyway and made her way down the lamp lit street. He waited a few more seconds before he left the rooftop that he had been perched on waiting with bow and arrow ready to hit anything that would cause Emma harm.

A few minutes later, he arrived at the rendezvous location where he and Emma had left the rental car they had gotten a few days ago. She was already in the driver's seat waiting for him. Throwing his gear in the back, he climbed in the front with her. "So?" he asked.

"Faster than I thought," she said beginning to drive down the deserted street with her headlights off until they hit the main road. "He didn't even wake up."

"How many times have you used that stuff?" he asked referring to the drugs.

"Just a few. Bullets are so much faster," she said picking up her cell phone. Clint watched as she pressed a few numbers then hit send. "We need a mop up and evac," she said into her phone to whoever answered the phone.

She listened for a few second before hanging up.

"What was that about?"

"Our ride."

* * *

Vélizy – Villacoublay Air Base sat about 8 miles southwest of the city. Before they had reached the air base, Emma had stopped to retrieve her purse from the trunk of the car. She needed something out of it.

"There is no way we are going to get onto a French air base." Clint said as they approached the gates to the base.

"Oh ye of little faith," Emma said, pulling out her S.H.I.E.L.D. ID badge. "Remember we've got agents every where. At this base, we've got 10 in fact. Plus S.H.I.E.L.D. is allowed at certain bases around the world. Secret agreements and stuff. I just go to the bases they tell me to.

And just like Emma had said, they had no problem getting though that gate. They drove to a hanger at the far end of the small runaway and waited in it for their ride.

Within 20 minutes a S.H.I.E.L.D. Quinjet touched down. Once the mop up crew had disembarked, Phil Coulson emerged from the bay of the jet to get his two favorite agents.

"That didn't take you long," he said.

"Nope," Clint said.

"So why an evac?"

"Something's wrong with me, Coulson. And I don't know what," Emma said as she held up a handful of papers which exploded in flames her hand. Coulson jumped back.

"I think I know just the person you need to see," Coulson said once he recovered from the shock. "And he's the smartest man on Earth."

"Who?" Clint asked.

"Oh! Dr. Reed Richards!" Emma said. "You know of the Fantastic Four!"

* * *

_**AN: The airbase that I mentioned is real….and according to Wikipedia, that is the distance it is from Paris. Oh well. I hope that you enjoyed and please leave me some loving in the snazzy new comments section below!**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer and AN: I don't own them…just borrowing the Avengers for a bit….so enjoy and please leave me some loving…**_

* * *

**Chapter 8:**

Clint leaned against the bulkhead and signed as Emma slept stretched out across three seats with her head resting in his lap. His hand gently ran through her hair. He was tired, but couldn't sleep. his mind kept going back to the scene a few hours ago of Emma's arms turning yellow and red along with her screams of panic and confusion. What if he hadn't of been there? What if he hadn't of thought to pull her into the shower? What if? What if? What if?

'_Remember that we don't live in a world of what ifs, Clinton,' _

His mother's words rang through his head from a few months ago. He knew that Emma would get the best possible care. He just would have to put on a brave front for her because he was scared out of his mind. He couldn't loose her to some freakish drug that some Russian scumbag had injected into her if that was really the cause of her problem.

Coulson, who had just gotten off the radio with Fury, turned and watched Clint for a second before deciding that it was best not to say anything to him just yet. The look on Clint's face said it all – he was upset about what was going on with Emma. Fury had been right all along about Emma and Clint. They did bring out the best in each other.

"We're about 30 minutes out from the city," Coulson finally said.

Clint nodded and tried to shut his eyes so that he could get a little sleep.

* * *

Nick Fury stood atop the Baxter Building with Dr. Reed Richards waiting for the Quinjet in the early morning. When he had heard from Coulson about the problems Emma was having, he was pretty certain that theses were side effects from whatever was done to her in Switzerland. Next to him, Dr. Richards was going over Emma's S.H.E.I.L.D. medical records starting with the car accident when she was 7.

"She's had a very active medical history," Dr. Richards said.

"Just wait until you meet her. She's one of a kind, doctor," Fury said as the Quinjet approached the landing platform on top of the Baxter Building. Within a few minutes the Quinjet had made its approached, landed and the gang plank had lowered in the back. First out was Coulson, followed by Clint and what looked to be a very sleepy Emma. Clint stopped and waited for Emma, who he wrapped an arm around to help walk.

"Sorry, she's been asleep for most of the flight." Coulson said. "She's had a long day."

"Obvious," Dr. Richards said as he approached Emma and Clint. "Emma Carter?"

"Yes?" she asked looking up as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes some more.

"Dr. Reed Richards," he said extending a hand towards her. "And you are?" he said turning towards Clint.

"Clint Barton, her S.H.I.E.L.D. partner."

The two men shook hands.

"Come on, let's see if we can't figure out what's going on."

The group followed Dr. Richards into the Baxter Building. He led them down a hallway and into a rather impressive lab. "If you would please have a seat here, Ms. Carter," he said motioning for her to sit up on an examination table.

Emma did what was asked, while Fury, Coulson and Clint all stood off to the side. They watched as Dr. Richards performed a quick physical exam on Emma along with withdrawing some blood from her. As he did the exam, he talked to her a little. "So I heard from Director Fury what happened and what he thinks is causing this, now you tell me what happened. What were you doing when change happened the first time."

"I was ummm…" Emma's voice trailed off as she blushed. She didn't want Fury or Coulson to hear that she had been sitting in her skivvies about to jump Clint's bones.

Noticing Emma's embarrassment, Dr. Richards turned to look at Fury. "Director Fury, if you and your agents don't mind waiting outside in the hallway, this shouldn't take much longer."

Fury and Coulson stood to leave as did Clint. "Wait," Emma said, pointing at Clint. "He can stay, you might want to talk to him since he was there when it happened."

Clint sat back down while Fury and Coulson headed into the hallway.

"Now once again, what were you doing when the change happened the first time?" Dr. Richards asked.

"Umm well see Clint and I were about to…well…you know…when it happened." Emma quickly said, trying not to turn too red.

Dr. Richards looked over at Clint, who had turned a little red as well then back at Emma. "Now has it happened again?" he asked continuing.

"When I showed Coulson in the hanger bay. I was holding some papers up and they burst into flames."

"Were you angry or upset or anything else the second time?"

"Umm…I was frustrated with what was going on since I didn't know what it was."

"How'd you get it to stop?"

"Doused her with water in a shower for a few minutes." Clint said speaking up. "The second time, she stuck her hands in a sink full of water."

Dr. Richards sat back and thought about things for a few seconds. "Perhaps this new transformation is caused by emotions, but if that was the case, then every time you had a change in emotions your arms would show an outbreak."

"Ok…" Emma said trying to follow.

"So, I need to run a few more tests. Then you can go home."

Clint kissed Emma's forehead and left the lab so that the tests could get done quicker and joined his commanding officer and handler in the hallway. As the minutes ticked by, Clint couldn't help but wonder what kind of tests Emma was having ran on her. He began to doze off just as the door to the lab slid open and Emma walked out with Dr. Richards behind her.

"So what's the verdict, Doctor?" Fury asked.

"Initial blood tests show a variation in her blood. Probably from whatever was injected into her a month or so go. I won't be for certain until I analyze it further later on. Nor will I know the full extent of the change. Yet right now it seems that it is centralized in her arms only. I should have the results in a day or so, but until then Ms. Carter is to stay calm and needs to rest."

"Thank you, Dr. Richards," Emma said turning and shaking his hand.

"You're welcome," he said. "I will let you know in a few days what we're going to do about controlling the outbreaks if we can."

Dr. Richards led the group back to the landing platform and bid them all farewell again. Once on the Quinjet, Fury turned to Emma. "Bed rest until your results are in. Then once you are cleared, back in the field finishing out the tasks you and Barton were assigned."

"Yes sir," Emma said.

"What about me?" Clint asked.

"Since this is hopefully a brief stop, do as you please. If it goes longer than a week, you are going to be put on duty at HQ."

Clint could live with that. At least it would give him and Emma some more alone time to actually digest what was going on.

* * *

Emma's hair fanned out against his chest as she snuggled against it. Clint had to admit that this was a good way to wake up. After arriving back at S.H.E.I.L.D. HQ, Clint and Emma gathered their belongings and headed to her apartment to catch up on some much needed sleep. Clint had promised Emma to be there for every step of the way and he was going to live up to that.

Once they got to Emma's apartment, they changed into their pajamas, even though it as nearly 7 am and crawled into bed. As soon as their heads hit their pillows, they both were out cold for several hours. Clint had woken up first and found Emma snuggled tightly against his chest. Now this was heaven.

He glanced over at the clock on Emma's bedside table. It was almost 3 pm.

"You've been up long?" Emma muttered as she began to stir in Clint's arms.

"Not long," he said kissing the top of her head. "you feel ok?"

"Yeah," she said lifting her head from his chest and smiling at him. She leaned over and kissed his lips softly. "What do you want to do tonight?"

"Well I really need to get some archery in. So I was thinking that I would head over to HQ, shoot a couple of quivers, then we could meet up somewhere for dinner before coming back here – that is if you don't mind me staying here with you tonight."

"You know that I don't."

Clint stole a kiss from Emma before slipping out of bed and getting dressed. "How about meeting at that little bar down the street, say about 5:30?" he asked as he put on his shoes before standing to leave.

"That's fine," she said, standing up to walk him out. "Gives me enough time to go visit Aunt Peggy."

"Love you, Em," he said as he stole a final kiss before slipping out the door.

"Love you too."

* * *

Barbara Morse hadn't been with S.H.E.I.L.D. for very long. In fact, she was part of the new recruiting class that had started at the beginning of the week. She had been excited about the opportunities that she was going to have now. Well that was after she got done with all her training.

As she was getting ready to head into her assigned quarters in HQ, she noticed an agent that was walking down the hallway with a bow and quiver slung over his shoulder.

"Clint Barton?" she said. "Is that really you?"

Clint looked up at the sound of his name as his eyes took in the new figure in front of him. Then recognition took over. "Oh my God! Bobbi is that you?"

"Yeah!" she said moving towards him.

"When did you join S.H.E.I.L.D.?"

"Last week. What about you?"

"Almost a year ago."

The two friends stood talking for a few minutes. "If you don't mind, I need to put these up and change to meet someone. You're more than happy to join us for dinner if you're not on duty or anything." Clint offered looking at his clock on his cell phone. He needed to hurry up to meet Emma on time.

"That sounds good. I'll meet you in the lobby say in 10 minutes?"

Clint nodded in agreement and headed into his quarters and shut the door. He sighed deeply as he set his bow and quiver down. What the hell was Bobbi doing at S.H.E.I.L.D.? Didn't they know that she was a liar and a cheat? This was not a good thing. She was one of his exs that fucked him over in the past….no wait, she was THE ex who fucked him over in the past. But that was all behind him, he had Emma now. And he'd be damned if Bobbi screwed with his relationship now.

He quickly changed and headed down to the lobby to wait for Bobbi.

"Ready?" she asked a few minutes later, when she appeared.

"Yeah."

The duo walked in silence for a few minutes down the busy streets of Manhattan as Clint led the way towards the bar where he and Emma were supposed to meet up. He was now walking with a purpose – to get there, get Emma in his arms and show Bobbi that he was happy.

But just as he reached for the door to the bar, Bobbi stopped him. "Clint, I miss you," she said taking a hold of his wrist. He turned to look at her. "I miss what we had. What we had shared."

"What we had was a lie."

"I don't believe that," she said as she quickly moved and kissed him on the lips. Clint tried to push her away but her nails dug into his arms.

"What the fuck!" a voice said from behind Clint.

Clint managed to pull away from Bobbi and turned in horror to see Emma standing behind him. The look on her face explained it all. She was going to kill someone.

"Emma!" Clint said. "This is my…"

But before Clint could finish his sentence, Bobbi cut him off. "I'm Bobbi Morse, his ex-wife."

Clint never knew what hit him. He only knew that his face stung, his nose was bleeding and possibly Emma knocked a tooth loose when she had back handed him across the face before turning and walking down the street.

"Ouch." Bobbi said, looking at his face. "Are those burn marks?"

He pulled his face away from her. "Leave me the fuck alone Bobbi," he said turning and walking down the street in the same direction that Emma had gone.

* * *

**AN #2: I had to have some drama some how! I know that Bobbi Morse is a little OOC….but its all for the sake of the story. I actually love her character in the comics!**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer and AN: I don't own them - well Emma is mine! So please leave me some love…or flames...but enjoy!**_

* * *

**Chapter Nine:**

The door to the bookshop opened and closed, letting the little bell at top the door chime. "Sorry we're about to close," Peggy Carter said looking up from the counter. "Is there something I can help…"

She gasped. Standing in front of her, soaked to the bone from the evening summer storm, was Emma. Her face looked like she had been crying as well. Something was extremely wrong. Peggy quickly walked around the counter and headed towards her niece. "What is wrong?" Peggy asked leading her niece towards the counter where a chair was. Emma just burst into tears again.

Seeing that this was going to take a while, Peggy headed into the storage room to gather her purse, umbrella and grabbed a blanket to wrap around Emma. "Come on," she said wrapping the blanket around her niece. "Let's go home."

Emma nodded and followed her out of the bookshop. After Peggy had locked up, she wrapped her arm around Emma and guided her down the street. Good thing that it had stopped raining. "When we get home, I'll make you some hot tea while you change into dry clothes then we can talk."

She nodded in agreement as she allowed her aunt Peggy to keep helping her down the street like she used to when Emma was younger and had fallen down and gotten hurt.

But a broken heart hurt more than any skinned knee ever did.

* * *

What the hell was he going to do? Emma could be anywhere. Clint had tried to call her, but only got her voice mail; so he had walked the streets for a few minutes, trying to figure out how explain to Emma about his past with Bobbi. Then the storm had come and brought a downpour with it. But he didn't care. His world had come crashing down in a matter of seconds – all thanks to the bitch of an ex-wife. Without even knowing it, he had managed to walk to Emma's apartment building.

It was now or never. He entered her building, using the code she had given him and he ran up the stairs two at a time. Within seconds Clint was at the door of her apartment. He knocked furiously on the door.

No answer.

He laid his head against the door and slammed his fist into it one more time.

Dammit.

Where the hell was Emma?

* * *

"Here you go dear," Peggy said handing Emma a cup of hot tea once she had changed into a pair of sweats and an old college t-shirt that she kept at her aunt's apartment.

"Thank you," Emma said sipping her tea. She smiled. Her aunt knew just how she liked her tea – with lots of honey.

"Now let's sit down and you can tell me what's wrong," Peggy said, guiding her towards the couch. The duo sat down. Emma pulled her legs underneath her and starred into her tea mug for a second before looking back up at her aunt. When she did, she just burst into tears. Peggy reached for the mug, set it down on the table and slowly pulled her niece into her arms. Emma laid her head in her aunt's lap and continued to sob while Peggy gently ran her fingers through Emma's damp hair. "It's about that agent Barton isn't it?" she eventually asked.

Emma nodded and cried harder.

"Shh, Emma," she said as she continued to run her fingers in Emma's hair. "While it might seem like the end of the world right now, I promise you that it isn't."

She lifted her head up and nodded as she sniffled and dried her eyes on the sleeve of her t-shirt. Peggy smiled at her and ran a hand along her cheek. "Can I stay here tonight?" Emma asked, hiccuping as she did from all her crying.

"Of course you can."

Within minutes, Peggy had made sure that Emma's old bedroom had a fresh set of sheets on the bed and was ready for her. "Thank you," Emma said kissing her aunt's cheek good night as she headed off to bed.

Peggy watched as Emma headed up the stairs to the second floor where the bedrooms were and gently closed the door. She hoped that whatever had happened between Emma and this agent Barton would end badly. Emma was never as lucky with the boys growing up as the other girls her age were. But now things had seemed to be different when Peggy had met him at the hospital a few weeks ago.

What could have gone wrong?

* * *

'_Emma, please pick up. Listen, I never meant for you to find out about Bobbi like this. The entire thing was a…'_

Delete.

'…_sorry the recording ended. But the entire thing was a sham. It was a mistake. We had it annulled and we moved on…'_

Delete.

'_I regret not telling you. I do. But everything that I have said to you in the past is true. I really do love you Emma.'_

Delete.

'_Can we please meet somewhere and talk? Please…'_

Delete.

Four voicemails and a dozen or so text messages asking the same thing, telling her the same thing. It was all a mistake. It was all his fault. Would she please call him? He loved her.

He loved her.

Did he really?

Emma starred out the window at the slowly rising moon, as she lay curled up on her twin bed. She couldn't cry anymore and even though she was worn out, she was too wired to sleep. How could Clint keep something like an annulled marriage from her? She had opened up and told him everything about her. She had given herself to him. She had allowed herself to love.

Fuck love.

If this was what would happen, then it wasn't worth it.

She knew that she would have to eventually talk to him and possibly see another girl on his arm, but she would cross that river when she got there. Right now she would worry about how to avoid him for a few days.

Somewhere in the middle of her planning – which included staying at Aunt Peggy's all weekend to staying in a hotel, she managed to fall asleep.

* * *

When agent Barton had returned to HQ looking upset the previous night, Coulson had paid no attention to it. But when he still looked the same the next morning, the handler began to worry. His two best agents had suffered a set back – their first couple's fight.

Leaving agent Barton under the supervision of agent Stilwell, Coulson headed out into the craziness of New York City to find his missing part of his dynamic team. And he knew exactly where to find her.

* * *

The smell of chalk and old leather filled the air as soon as Coulson opened the door to the gym. While this gym wasn't known for its boxing, like the ones he usually went to were, this gym was known for something else – gymnastics. He removed his shades and scanned the large expanse. There weren't that many people around given that it was fairly early in the morning. Perhaps there would be more this afternoon during a class or something. Ah! There she was on the uneven bars.

He quickly made his way past the other pieces of equipment and stood next to the uneven bars and watched Emma finish her routine.

She somersaulted around the high bar the performed a release to the lower bar a rotation or two then it was back to the upper bar where she did several handstands before reversing her grip and swinging the other way. After a few releases and catches, she began to build up speed before releasing for her dismount. She performed a tuck and landed – although she didn't stick it. Instead she wound up on her knees.

In frustration she slammed her hand into the mat.

"That is no way to treat the mat. What did it do to you?" Coulson asked.

"What are you doing here?" Emma asked as she stood up and walked over to her duffle bag. She took off her grips and threw them into her bag and pulled out her clothes. She slipped on a sweat pants over her leotard and then pulled a t-shirt on as well.

"What the happened between you and Barton last night? Because frankly he looks like hell."

"That's between me and him. So I would appreciate it if you stayed the fuck out of my personal life."

"What ever it is, get over it soon because the both of you are still partners and have an assignment to complete."

Emma glared at him before turning and storming out of the gym.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Emma actually got a phone she didn't mind taking. Dr. Richards had all her test results done and needed her to come by the Baxter Building as soon as possible so he could try a few things out on her.

She quickly caught a taxi from her aunt's town house to the Baxter Building. Once there, she was lead up to Dr. Richards' lab. But she found that he wasn't the only one in there. There was another man in there as well – he wasn't as tall and had blonde hair instead of brown.

"Aww Ms. Carter, good timing," he said welcoming her into the lab once again. The man next to him cleared his throat. "Oh this is my brother in law, Johnny Storm."

Emma nodded and waited for Dr. Richards to continue.

"Now I was just putting the finishing touches on the gauntlets I made for you."

"Excuse me?" she asked a bit confused.

"Oh sorry. I got ahead of myself. From what I was able to determine, is whatever that drug was that you were injected with did manipulate a gene somewhat. But not to the drastic sense like a mutant nor should you have a change like my family underwent. Who's to say if you had been given more injections what might have happened, but good thing it didn't."

'_Yeah, good thing,'_ she thought to herself.

"Anyways, I believe that the symptoms rise when you are experiencing bouts of high emotional stress. Mainly negative ones – worry, fear, hatred, and anger. And you would mainly find those when you are out in the field, wouldn't you?"

"Typically."

Dr. Richards handed her the gauntlets. "Try these on."

She slipped them on effortlessly. Once they were around her wrists, the material formed to the shape of her wrists and arms.

"Now what these should do, is pull that energy out of your body when you are going through those emotions and store it for you. Then say you get into a fight and you go to punch something or need to burn through something, you have the extra energy stored to help you along. Think of them as a battery."

"Do I have to wear them all the time?"

"It's up to you, but just realize that you are going to have to learn what emotions trigger the effect. Once you are able to do that then you will be fine."

"Thank you Dr. Richards," she said slipping them off and putting them in her oversized purse.

"No problem. Let me know if you ever need anything else."

Emma said thank you once again and headed for the door. "You know, how about I walk you out," Johnny said walking up to her.

She was about to refuse him, but then changed her mind. "I'd like that," she said with a smile.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: I don't own them, but Emma – she's mind. Enjoy and leave me some loving please**_

* * *

**Chapter Ten:**

He wearily walked the streets of New York, glancing at his phone every so often – silently hoping that Emma had actually called him back. Still nothing. No phone calls, no emails, not even a text message. Sighing, he slipped the cellphone back into his pocket and kept walking.

Clint had not wanted to stay at HQ at all. He had managed to slip out when Sitwell wasn't paying attention and he knew Coulson was going to talk to Emma. He wished that he had known where. Perhaps if he had stuck around, he could have found out. But he didn't want to see Bobbi since there was no telling how he might react if he did.

Where else could he go?

That was when it dawned on him. Aunt Peggy's bookstore. He was closest to the midtown location, so he would try that one first to see if she was at that location. Hopefully she could help him find Emma.

Clint took a deep breath and entered the bookshop. Desperate times called for desperate measures. It had been almost a day since he had last seen Emma with the last image of her etched in his mind was one of hurt. If anyone had any idea where she could be, then it would be her Aunt Peggy.

Bad mistake.

As soon as he began to look around the shop for her aunt, something came flying at him out of the corner of his left eye. He quickly ducked as a flimsy paperback book hit the store floor. He looked to his left and saw Peggy Carter standing about 10 feet from him with a broom in her hand – not just any type of broom. One of those old fashion ones with the thick bristles at the end. For an older woman, she had a good throw.

"You have a lot of nerve showing up here," she said. "Just be happy I don't have my Smith and Wesson Model 10."

Clint gulped.

"I'm…sorry! I just had no other ideas on where Emma would go. Please, I've got to talk to her. Do you know where she is?" he said practically pleading with the older woman. There was no way he was going anywhere near Peggy as long as she held that broom.

Peggy sighed. She didn't even know what Agent Barton had done to upset Emma so bad since her niece had just cried the entire night before. "All I know is that Emma was going to stay with me tonight, but changed her mind. Said she was going out with some friends or something then was just going to go on home. But what ever you did to upset her better never happen again!"

"Thank you ma'am! And trust me, it won't!" he said turning around and opening the door to the shop to leave. As he did, another book smack him in the back of the head.

"That's so you'll remember what I said about my Smith and Wesson!" Peggy said as he turned back to look at her before he left the shop.

* * *

"Thank you for listening to me vent," Emma said biting her bottom lip a bit as she and Johnny Storm walked down the street towards her apartment. "I really didn't mean to tell you all my problems."

"Hey my problems still win with an ex-girlfriend being an alien." Johnny said. "But remember keep that hush, hush. I don't think Reed really wanted too many people knowing."

"Your secret is safe with me," she said punching in the code to her building.

"Come on, I'll walk you to your door." Johnny said. "I've made sure that you got out of the Baxter Building without incident, made sure that you safely roamed the streets of New York City – although I know you can protect yourself."

Emma smiled as she led the way up the stairs to the third floor where she suddenly stopped at the edge of the stairs. Johnny crashed into her. He looked up to see what had caused Emma to stop suddenly.

Slowly standing up from his place on the floor was a young man who looked to be a little over 6 feet tall, but even if Johnny had to take him down for some reason, he probably could.

"Why are you here?" Emma calmly asked.

Johnny put two and two together…this was the 'problem' that Emma had vented to him about over dinner.

"I just want to the chance to talk to you," Clint said. His eyes drifted towards Johnny. "Alone."

"Hey look, I'm just a friend. That's all," Johnny said as Emma turned around and looked at him.

"I'll call you later," she said, quickly kissing his cheek then before moving towards her apartment door. Johnny wearily turned and walked back down the stairs. He knew that he shouldn't butt into Emma's relationship.

"You," she said turning her attention back to Clint once Johnny was gone, "have five minutes."

She unlocked the door and they both walked inside. Clint stood by the closed door, still unsure of what to really say, while Emma moved to the other side of the apartment to get as far away from him as she could and still be in the same room with him. She turned to look at him and waited for whatever he had to tell her.

"Well I'm waiting," she said getting a bit impatient.

Clint took a breath and ran his hand nervously through his hair. Damn he had a easier time killing someone anonymously then facing down the woman he loved. "I never meant for you to find out about Bobbi like this, Emma."

"Then how the hell were you going to tell me?" she yelled at him beginning to get teary eyed again.

"I was going to tell you after we had finished in Paris. I have felt horrible for the last month about keeping this from you. It's been eating at me! But Emma, what Bobbi and I had is nothing like what you and I have. The marriage lasted all of a week and it was annulled! Basically it never existed!"

Emma picked up a near by book and hurled it at him – but he easily dodged it. "How the hell do you think I feel now?" she screamed louder at him. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "You were married Clint! Don't you think that is a little important to tell the person you love? Who cares if it was annulled or not!"

"That's why I was going to tell you in Paris but then the thing with your hands happened!"

Emma screamed in frustration as she bawled up her hands as they began to slowly glow yellow in color. "You're five minutes are up. Get out!" she yelled at him.

"But…"

"GET OUT!"

Sighing in defeat, Clint slowly opened the door and left Emma's apartment. Before he left he took one last look at her as she collapsed in a chair and was sobbing into her hands, which had turned back to their normal skin tones. He gently closed the door but did not move from where he stood in the hallway. He had no idea where to go. And he sure as hell wasn't going back to HQ. Instead he slumped against the wall and slid down until he was sitting on the floor next to Emma's door.

Through the door he could hear Emma's sobs. God what he wouldn't give to be able to hold her in his arms and make all of this up to her. If he could only be given a second chance he would spend the rest of his life making this up to her.

* * *

"Well, well, well. Just look at yourself. Pitiful, little Emma. All alone as usual. What was it this time? Scared of some bullies in high school?" a voice taunted.

"Oh shut it. Can't you see that she is upset! I swear you have no heart!" a similar, yet soft voice said.

Emma slowly lifted her head up from the couch where she had cried herself to sleep and looked up. She gasped a little then rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Starring down at her was herself! Not just once…but twice. Hang on; they were each a bit different. One version of her seemed to be dressed in a frilly white baby doll with glitter all over her body and the other version was dressed in some gaudy red leather outfit that belonged in a biker bar. "Umm what is going on?" she asked sitting up.

"Oh we're your conscious," her glittery version said sitting down next to her on the couch. "Here to help you make the decision on what to do about your dilemma."

"I say tell Clint Barton to fuck off and go for that hot Johnny Storm," biker version said sitting down on the other side and plopping her knee high boot clad feet on the table. "I'm sure between to the two of you that you'll set some stuff on fire if you know what I mean!"

"Anyways, you've got to realize that there are good things and bad things to all of this Emma. Weigh your options carefully and don't just fly off and make a sudden decision," glittery version said. "Remember Clinton did come clean to you, just not in the way that he wanted to. He told you that the incident with your hands took precedent over him telling you about his annulled marriage."

Emma looked over at her biker version self for a rebuttal. "I still say go for Johnny Storm..."

* * *

Slowly opening her eyes, Emma let them adjust to the light in her apartment. She was curled up on her couch, hugging one of her throw pillows close to her chest. Sitting up, she stretched before standing up. She could seriously use a good night's sleep after that last dream.

Her conscious really? She always thought that things like that were only seen in movies. And that they would be smaller.

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes a bit more, she reached for her cellphone inside her purse to see what time it was.

12:30 a.m.

Had it really only been a few hours since she had screamed at Clint to get out and then cried herself to sleep for the second night in a row? She sighed as she scrolled through her phone and read the various text messages that she had gotten in the course of a few hours. There were some from her aunt telling her that Clint had come by the shop looking for her and that she had threatened him with 'SW' if he ever hurt her again. The thought of Aunt Peggy threatening Clint with a gun was amusing. Then there was one from Johnny telling her that he had a good time that night and that he hoped everything between her and her 'problem' was ok. Deep down inside, she kind of doubted that since Johnny's hand had slipped a few times that night towards her ass – but she had let it slide. Then the last message was from Clint.

'_I will spend forever making this up to you Em. I'm so sorry…' _was all that it said.

Perhaps the glittery version of her conscious was right. Clint had come clean to her, just not in the way that he had wanted to. Sure it had hurt, but to keep the good you sometimes have to take the bad with it.

Grabbing her purse and phone, Emma knew what she had to do. She had to find Clint.

But she didn't have to go very far.

As she was stepping out of her apartment, she tripped over something – no someone. Clint had fallen asleep, sitting outside of her apartment door and ended up falling onto his side. Now he was slowly waking up. Kneeling down, she smiled as she placed a hand against his check.

"Emma?" he asked a bit groggily.

"Yeah."

"Why am I in your hallway?"

"I was going to ask the same thing," she said standing back up then offering a hand for him. He took it and stood up.

Once he was standing, they just stood there in silence for a second – Emma starring up at Clint, who stood a good few inches taller than she was. Finally Clint began. "Look Em, I know that you…"

But she cut him off by leaning up kissing him deeply on the lips. Taken by surprise, Clint eventually wrapped his arms around her and held her flush against him.

"I'm sorry for over reacting," she whispered as she took a breath from their kiss. He smiled at her as he brushed the hair out of her face.

"No Emma, its me who should be sorry for not telling you sooner," he said picking her up in his arms as he opened the door to her apartment. "And I will do whatever it takes to make this up to you."

She smiled and lay her head in the crook of his neck as he carried her into the apartment and quietly shut the door behind them both.

* * *

"So is everything better now?" Coulson asked as Emma and Clint approached him the next morning.

"More than better," Emma said. And she meant it.

When Clint had said that he would do whatever it took to make it up to her, he meant it and so much more. Plus whoever said that makeup sex was the best sex, meant it!

"Good. Now since I see you got your new gauntlets, when are the two of you leaving?" he asked as he took notice of Emma's new accessory to her uniform.

"That's what we were coming to see you about. What targets are of most concern?" Clint asked, handing Coulson a list. "Central and South America or Europe?"

"Europe."

"Then we will leave for London this afternoon." Emma said. "And make sure that you are on standby with mop up teams. These might get ugly."

"Oh you know I will be Emma." Coulson said. "But before you leave, Agent Monroe wanted to see you down in the gym. It's your favorite time of year."

Emma turned to Clint and grinned evilly.

"What?" he asked.

"I get to scare the new recruits!" she happily said. "Let's go!"

* * *

"This is Agent Carter. She is one of the top, if not the top, covert ops agent that S.H.I.E.L.D. currently has." Agent Monroe said, introducing Emma to the group of new recruits that stood eager to get into the action. "Typically she and her partner are out in the field, but they were given a new assignment and had to report back to HQ for a few days. Now the purpose of this drill is to make each of you aware of just how lacking your skills in fighting are, not matter how good you really are, Agent Carter will beat you every time."

Emma smiled as she surveyed the group in front of her. Twelve new recruits – 8 males and 4 females – with one of them being Bobbi Morse. This was going to be great. Clint stood off to the side watching the entire thing unfold. He had remembered this exercise, but it was done with someone else when he had gone through the training. Not Emma.

"Now guys, don't be afraid to hit her – if you can." Monroe said continuing.

One by one, Monroe called up different recruits to try and take down Emma. A few of the guys got close, but they just couldn't hit a girl even though Monroe had warned them to hit her and the girls were a cakewalk for her. The last one standing – literally - was Bobbi. While Emma typically took it easy on new recruits, this time things were different.

Things were personal.

When Clint saw who Emma was going to fight next, he was weary about letting it happen. But he decided that Emma needed this. He shouldn't have worried.

As soon as Bobbi had approached Emma, she was hit with a right hook to her eye. Yet it hadn't felt like any right hook that she had ever felt before – which was once. It felt like her eye was burning a bit. She feel to the training mat in disbelief that something so small could hit so hard. She was definitely going to have a black eye in the morning. Bobbi wearily looked up through her blackened eye as Emma stood over her with her fists still clinched.

"Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Morse," she said before turning and walking off the mat.

* * *

_**AN: I hope ya'll like it! Please leave me some loving. Also about Clint's height….I'm doing a bit of mixing here…in the movies Clint is about 5 foot 11 inches tall but in the comics he is 6 foot, 3 inches tall. So for this story, he's a little in-between those two heights.**_

_**Ciao!**_


	11. Chapter 11

**_Disclaimer: I don't own them…..but Emma is mine! AN is at the bottom! _**

**_This chapter is for LVB who made me the kick ass new picture that goes with the story and xPoppyx who always listens to my random ideas and helps me make them work! Enjoy!_**

* * *

**Chapter 11:**

The next few months flew by in a blur for both Clint and Emma. Every day it was mission, mission, mission. Some were easy and quick, while others were a bit more tedious. Occasionally Emma wound up in compromising situations where she just about ended up in bed with a target, but that was where Clint would take the necessary kill shot if he could. Other times Emma would use the heart attack injection as Clint called it to quickly kill off one of the targets.

By the end of November, they had finished off the list of targets in Europe and parts of Russia. Since they were in the region, they had also taken care of a few of their targets in North Africa as well. Once Thanksgiving had rolled around, they returned to New York City for more than just a day.

"I just want to crawl into bed and sleep for a few days." Clint said, dropping his bag just inside the front door of Emma's apartment. They had just gotten home after a long flight back from London. He collapsed on the couch and lay full out with his feet hanging off the end. He snuggled with one of Emma's throw pillows.

"Well you can't!" Emma said walking by and slapping his ass as she walked into the kitchen area to see if she could scrounge up some tea. Her throat always bugged her a bit after international flights.

"Awww why not Em?" he asked lifting his head up and looking at her.

"Because Thanksgiving is in 3 days!" she happily said putting a pot of water on.

Clint groaned. He really didn't like the holidays. Emma knew that moan – Clint did that when he really didn't want to do something or didn't like an idea.

"Do you not like the holidays?" she asked sitting down on the edge of her coffee table. Clint turned to look at her.

"Not really. All I have are bad memories of the holidays growing up. Dad was always drunk, mom was always upset. Then after dad died, there really wasn't the money to celebrate."

"Well holidays for Aunt Peggy and I were always a big deal! They still are. I typically get from November to just after New Year's Day off from S.H.E.I.L.D. to help in the store unless there is a huge disaster that I absolutely have to go out into the field and take care of. That's maybe happened twice in the last few years."

"So what am I supposed to do until after New Year's Day if you're on vacation so to speak?"

Emma looked away from Clint for a second as she spoke up again. "Umm, well you see, I sorta lied to Sitwell and told him that you wanted to be off when I did," she said mumbling.

"You what?"

She sighed as she turned to look back at him. "See Sitwell called last week in between hits. He wanted to know if you wanted to have the same time off as I did since it was year-end stuff with the agency and everything. And seeing as it was our first major holiday season as a couple, I thought it would be nice if we spent it together or you could go home and see your mom for a few days. So I told him that you did."

Clint leaned up and kissed Emma's lips. That was the best thing that anyone had ever said to him – someone had actually wanted to spend the holidays with him. "Of course I want to spend them with you, Em."

She smiled at him again before stealing another quick kiss as she stood up to go tend to the cup of tea that was waiting for her in the kitchen. This was going to be a great holiday season. She couldn't wait!

* * *

"You ok?" Clint asked the next morning as they sat in a corner diner and ate a quick breakfast before heading to HQ for a debrief about the European branch of their assignment. After that was vacation for over a month – well vacation from S.H.E.I.L.D. at least. Clint had a sneaky suspicion that he was going to have to help out in Aunt Peggy's bookshops. He really wouldn't care because he would get to be with Emma and at the moment, that was all that mattered to him. After telling him last night that she wanted to spend the holidays with him, he had been floating on cloud 9. He already could tell that this holiday season would be his best yet.

Emma sat across from him, lost in thought as she pushed her scrambled eggs around on her plate. Clint knew all the signs…not eating, not talking, lost in thought. Something was on Emma's mind.

"Baby, what's on your mind?" he asked, nudging her foot a bit under the table.

"Hun? Oh nothing really," she said taking a small bite of eggs. She swallowed the bite then looked at Clint. "Actually there is something that is bugging me."

"And what's that?" he asked finishing off his stack of pancakes. He reached for his glass of chocolate milk to wash it down.

"Do you want to move in with me?"

Clint choked on his chocolate milk a little bit. Had he heard Emma right? Did she really just ask him to move in with her? He had to make sure he had heard correctly. "Move in together? Like share bills and what not?" he asked.

"Only groceries." Emma replied. "That's all that would really increase. Besides, its not like you aren't over at my place every night that we're not on duty which are few and far between these days. I know that S.H.E.I.L.D. doesn't care where you live as long as you keep quarters at HQ as well. I literally have a change of clothes there. Aren't you tired of living out of a suitcase? Just move all your stuff to my apartment and it will solve everything."

He didn't say anything for a second, while his brain filtered what he had just heard. Emma did have a point. "I really don't have that much to move, but I'll move in. But what about all your stuff?"

"I need to clean out my drawers and closet anyways to give some stuff to charities. So it's a win-win for everyone," she said finishing off her eggs.

Clint shook his head in amazement as they stood up to pay and then leave. Emma kept on surprising him at every turn.

* * *

The Thanksgiving holiday came and went without much fanfare. Clint had moved the rest of his stuff from S.H.E.I.L.D. HQ to Emma's apartment in a single trip since he already had some of it over there. Other than their debrief, Fury wished them a good vacation and said if he needed them, he'd call. And that was that.

On Thanksgiving Day, Emma dragged Clint to Aunt Peggy's for a home cooked meal. He swore up and down that if he was threatened with a Smith and Wesson Model 10, then he was gone.

"Don't worry! She won't!" Emma said as they walked down the street towards Aunt Peggy's townhouse. She carried a homemade pumpkin pie that Clint had tried to eat that morning, but Emma smacked his hand with a spoon.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because May Parker and her nephew, Peter, join us Thanksgiving every year. It's always been that way. Aunt Peggy and May are best friends."

"So how old is her nephew?"

"I think in his late teens. He keeps to himself a lot." Emma said heading up to the front door of a nice townhouse and simply walked in the front door. "Aunt Peggy!" she called out as she set her purse down on a chair before hanging up her and Clint's jackets on the hall tree.

"In the kitchen!"

Clint followed Emma into the kitchen. "Here is one pumpkin pie," Emma said with a smile as she set the pie in the refrigerator before turning and kissing her aunt's cheek as she stood at the stove, stirring a sauce of some sort. "Anything I can do?"

"No, I'm almost done," she said pouring the sauce into a bowl. She turned to look at Clint. "I take it that everything is good now?"

"Yes, Aunt Peggy," Emma said as she wrapped her arms around Clint and snuggled against him.

"Good, I don't want to have to go find my gun." Peggy said turning her attention back to preparing the dinner.

Clint gulped a bit, but Emma kissed his cheek before going to help her aunt with the rest of the meal. He went and sat down at the kitchen table and stayed out of the way. He watched Emma interact with her aunt and he realized just how much they were alike. No wonder Emma had followed in her footsteps into S.H.E.I.L.D.

The rest of the day sped by. May Parker and her nephew, Peter arrived a little while after Emma and Clint had, with dinner following shortly there after. After the fabulous dinner with sides that Clint had not eaten in so long – green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, a squash casserole of some kind, along with dressing and stuffing – he was halfway asleep in a turkey coma on the couch when Emma was standing over him, glaring down.

"Dishes lazy bones," she said.

"But Em, the game is on," he whined motioning to the television.

"The longer you whine, the longer it takes before you can watch and before that pie you wanted so bad earlier."

Clint grudging got to his feet and they headed to the kitchen. As they approached, they heard all sorts of racket coming from in there. It was as if there were several people cleaning the kitchen. But that wasn't possible. Aunt Peggy was sitting on the front porch with May, while Peter had been left in the kitchen to start cleaning while she had gone to get Clint. She motioned for Clint to stop as she slipped her shoes off and quietly approached the kitchen. As she looked around the corner, she saw Peter standing at the sink with every single dish, pot and pan that had been dirty was now sparkling clean.

He turned to look at Emma as she walked in the kitchen. "What can I say," he said shrugging his shoulders. "I'm a speedy cleaner."

He stuck his earbuds into his ears as he pulled out his cellphone and began to play music on it was he walked out the kitchen.

"Oh good! So I guess its time for pie!" Clint said walking into the kitchen and seeing Emma standing there dumbfounded.

"Did you not see that?" she asked him.

"See what baby?"

"This kitchen was a wreck five minutes ago. I leave Peter in here to get started to go and get you and when we return it is spotless. That is humanly impossible. It would have taken at least 30 minutes to an hour."

Clint shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know and I don't care. I'm just now in the mood for pie!"

* * *

_BUZZ!_

_BUZZ!_

_BUZZ!_

Clint slammed his hand down on the alarm clock. It was way too early to be up and who in their right mind uses an alarm clock on vacation?

Wait, Emma did.

Slowly, Clint opened his eyes and looked at the clock. Now way he was reading the clock right – 3:30 am in the morning? Why the hell had Emma set the alarm for 3:30 am in the morning? He turned over in bed to reach for her warm body, but she wasn't there.

"Emma?" he called out, still half asleep.

"Oh good! You're up! Hurry up and get dressed or we'll miss all the good sales!" she said walking back into the room and turning on the bedroom light. Clint squinted against the sudden bright light. He managed to tell that she was fully dressed and ready to go somewhere. But where?

"Sales?" he asked shading his eyes.

"Yeah," she said pulling her hair back into the neat ponytail. "Remember I told you last night while you were watching the other football game that I was going shopping for Black Friday and I asked if you wanted to go and you so 'yeah sure whatever'."

He groaned. "That was during a football game! You never ask me stuff during a football game or when I am practicing archery!"

She smiled. "Exactly. That is the best time to ask you stuff. Now get dressed. I need those hawkeyes of yours to spot good sales for me today!"

"Hahaha," he said as he got out of bed. "You owe me for this!"

"We'll see about that," she said stealing a kiss. "You might just like it."

"Doubtful, highly doubtful."

This was the craziest thing that Clint had ever experienced. Holiday shoppers were crazy and he knew that, but this was beyond crazy. Emma had dragged him to Bloomingdales first then Saks Fifth Avenue and lastly Macy's.

"So why is it that you go shopping on Black Friday?" he asked as Emma dug through the racks of sweaters at Macy's.

"Sales. I love sales. Plus I can usually get all my shopping for the holidays done at one time," she said as she held up a light purple sweater up to look at. She threw it over her shoulder and continued to look.

Clint simply shook his head in amazement. He just hoped that they could avoid the shoe department at all costs. Emma loved shoes.

As they were walking out of the store, something caught Clint's eye. The lingerie department. He smiled – now it was time for a little payback. "Come on," he said taking hold of her hand and dragging her towards the department. Emma was confused on where they were going.

He stopped in front of a black satin teddy with lace around the edges. He imagined Emma in that for a moment.

"So is this what you want for your Christmas present? Me in this?" she asked.

"It would be nice," he said with a smile. "So what size do you wear?"

Emma shook her head as she found the size that she wore and handed it to Clint as he went to pay for it. She would never really understand why men actually liked satin and lace. But if it made him happy, she'd wear it. Besides she did drag him shopping that morning with her.

* * *

Later that night, Clint sought more revenge on Emma and convinced her to go to a sports bar that night for dinner so he could watch several different football games at one time. She gave in because he had been so good while shopping that morning with her and that she had mad him carry so many bags of hers home as well – all without complaining.

"I will never understand why guys like football so much," she said as she nibbled on a fry as they watched a game together. She thought that it was Texas vs. Texas A&M.

"Because you get to hit other people for one!"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "And you don't get to do that enough in your line of work?"

"True – but this is a different kind of hitting."

Emma couldn't help but laugh. Like she had thought earlier, she would never understand guys and their obsession with football.

After a few hours of watching football, Emma had convinced Clint that they would be much more comfortable at home where she could slip into something a bit more comfortable. And when she had whispered the word 'comfortable' into his ear, Clint immediately get the hint – if they left now, she'd wear that satin and lace teddy he'd bought her that morning.

"You know there is something that I've always wanted to do," he said, making small talk with her on the way home.

"What's that?"

"Get a tattoo."

Emma snickered. "Really? A tattoo?"

"Yeah."

"You know if you did, you'd have to get it in a place that would be covered up most all the time. It's a S.H.E.I.L.D. regulation. In case you get caught in the field or something."

Clint thought about it for a moment before a smile crossed his face. "If I get one will you get one?" he asked.

"Size doesn't matter?"

"Nope, just as long as you get inked!"

"Why the hell not."

"Let's go," he said pulling her towards the street corner. "There's a place across the street."

They headed to the tattoo parlor across the street. Once inside, they had made a deal to each get their tattoos separately then show them to each other when they were done. Emma was helped by a female tattoo artist, while Clint was left with the male artist. About an hour later, Emma emerged from the room that she had been in and went into the room where Clint was still getting his tattoo done. But the sight she saw when she entered was one that she had not been expecting. Clint was laying on his stomach on a table with his pants halfway pulled down, while the burly tattoo artist was working on a tattoo on his ass. He had taken her words about keeping a tattoo covered literally.

"Hey baby," Clint said looking at her. "Whatcha get?"

"I got two small ones," she said as she lifted up her bare right foot and showed him an infinity symbol that was inked just below her big toe along with a small heartagram next to it. She put her foot down and walked over to look at what Clint was getting done. Looking at it upside down she couldn't quite figure the tattoo out, plus it wasn't quite done yet. "What is it supposed to be?" she asked the tattoo artist.

"A hawk's head with a arrow in its beak," he said.

Emma turned and looked at Clint. "Really?" she asked in shock. If she could have face-palmed without embarrassing herself and Clint, she would have.

"Goes with my nickname!"

"I love you, but you are silly," she said kissing his lips softly before sitting down and waiting for him to get his tattoo finished.

"At least you'll be able to know how I got it! Might come in handy in the future; you never know."

"That I will," she said laughing. "And it might."

* * *

After Thanksgiving weekend, the holiday season was in full swing and Emma was in the holiday spirit as well. She had decorated her apartment in one afternoon with a small Christmas tree, little knickknacks and even hung up stockings for her, Clint and Aunt Peggy in the apartment. He thought that it was silly, but she claimed tradition. The vast majority of the days were spent working in the bookshops, helping Aunt Peggy and her other workers keep up with the seasonal demand for gifts. They didn't spend every day in the shops helping, but then it did help the days pass.

The other thing that Clint noticed about Emma was, just how sneaky she was about going out and buying gifts. He had no idea how she managed to go out and buy him and Aunt Peggy presents for the holidays and then come home and wrap them; but she did. No wonder she was a spy. Yet he still had no idea what to get her. He didn't want to ask her what she wanted because that might seem insensitive and he was worried about not getting her the right thing. Maybe he'd ask Aunt Peggy.

"Emma isn't very materialistic, she never has been. So whatever you give her make sure that it is something that comes from your heart. Maybe something she'll use or wear every day," was the answer Peggy had given him when he had asked her what he should get Emma.

That really hadn't helped much. He was still stuck. When he was walking home that afternoon from the bookshop in midtown – Emma had said that she needed to finish Christmas shopping on her own – he passed by store and something caught his eye in the window.

It was perfect for Emma.

He had finally found her Christmas present.

"Can you not clean up after yourself?" Emma asked throwing a shirt in Clint's face as he walked into the bedroom one night. He had just gotten out of the shower. "It's not that hard to drop it in the hamper or throw it in the washer."

"Um, Em. I just took that off five minutes ago. I usually do, don't I?" he asked heading over to the dresser and pulling out a pair of pj pants and pulling them on. He dropped the towel on the floor.

"Clint!"

"What?" he asked looking at her.

"Your towel!"

"Jesus! Are you always this anal?" he asked bending over and picking up the towel off the floor. He dropped it on the pile of clothes and towels that Emma had in a laundry basket in her hands. She glared at him. "What baby?" he asked.

"You called me anal."

"What! You are being anal! You have been on a cleaning craze lately. What is going on?"

"And you're being a slob!"

Clint took the basket out of Emma's hands, set it on the floor and pulled her into his arms. "I don't know if it is the holidays that are making you crazy or what, but you do not act this way when we are on missions. I promise to keep my stuff picked up, even if I don't pick it up right away. But I will pick it up. And I even know how to do my own laundry too."

A smile crept across Emma's face. "Is that a smile I see?" Clint said tipping her face up towards him.

"Yeah."

"Good," he said, moving her towards the bed. "You've been running yourself ragged in getting ready to have your aunt over for Christmas dinner – which is in a few days. Now how about taking sometime to relax."

"That sounds good to me," Emma said running her fingers along Clint's bare chest before he picked her up and tossed her onto the bed then pounced on her. He covered her neck and body in kisses as she laughed.

"That's the sounds I like to hear," he said, kissing along her neck. "Now for some other sounds I love to hear even more."

* * *

"What's this?" Emma asked as Clint handed her a Christmas bag with red tissue paper sticking out of the top. She was sitting on the couch, flipping through a cookbook deciding on what pie to make.

It was Christmas Eve. The bookshops had closed early so that all the employees could have time to spend with their families to prepare for the holidays the next day or for extra time off if they didn't celebrate Christmas. Since Aunt Peggy had decided that she wanted to make Christmas dinner that year, Emma didn't have to spend the entire night cooking and preparing for the next day. Instead she just had to make a pie, like at Thanksgiving.

"I couldn't wait until tomorrow morning. I want you to open it now. Plus you are all about tradition. And it was a tradition in my family to open one present one Christmas Eve," Clint said sitting down next to her.

She smiled and stood up. She walked over to the Christmas tree and pulled a long package from behind it and brought it back over to Clint. "Then you have to open this one."

Clint took the package and studied it for a second while he waited for Emma to sit back down. "Ok you first," he said.

Emma picked up the bag and pulled out the tissue paper then peered into the bag. She gasped a little before reaching into the bag and pulling out a small teal box with a white ribbon around it – Tiffany's and Co. Slipping off the ribbon, she opening the box and gasped again. Inside were diamond stud earrings. "Clint these are too much!"

"No they aren't," he said kissing her cheek as he reached for the box. He took the earrings out and handed them too her. "Try them on."

Emma took off her silver loops that she had been wearing and put in the diamonds. She stood up and walked over to a mirror that was hanging up next to the front door and looked in it.

"They look absolutely beautiful on you," he said as she sat back down. She smiled and kissed him deeply on the lips.

"Thank you Clint," she said. "Now come on and open yours!"

He smiled as he began to unwrap what looked like a wrapping paper tube, but bigger. "It's inside of it," Emma said.

Clint shook the tube a bit and out of the bottom slipped out a tip of something. He reached down and began to ease whatever was inside of the tube out. What began to emerge was nothing he had ever imagined. Emma had gotten him an antique recurved bow. It was beautiful. There were hand painted white and red flowers along the front that were still gorgeous looking and the bow was still in overall good shape even though he could tell that parts of it had been refurbished.

"I think its Chinese or Tibetan from the 18th or 19th century. That's at least what the salesman told me. I knew that you had been looking at antique bows on the Internet and I saw this one at an antique store when I was shopping for Aunt Peggy. I just couldn't pass it up. It was too pretty."

"I don't know what to say," he said turning to look at her. "It's beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it," she said with a smile. "Just don't start collecting too many cause there isn't enough room in the apartment..."

Clint silenced her with a kiss. This was already turning into the best Christmas ever. "I love you," he whispered pulling back from her.

"And I love you too."

* * *

After packing up all the rest of the presents the next morning and loading them into a cab, Emma and Clint arrived bright and early at Aunt Peggy's. But Clint had no idea that another surprise was waiting for him there. As he and Emma walked up the steps to the front door, the door opened and out stepped Edith Barton.

"Mom! What are you doing here?" Clint said shocked as he dropped the bags of gifts on the steps. He hugged his mom tightly.

"Emma invited me. Thought that it would be a nice surprise," Edith said picking up one of the dropped bags after their hug. Clint turned back to look at Emma who was a few steps behind him. She had a smile on her face beneath her scarf. He stopped her for a kiss before taking both bags from her cold hands. "You keep on amazing me," he whispered as he kissed her a second time.

"Good," she replied before walking into the house.

Once everyone was settled, Emma got to work in the kitchen making sure that her aunt sat down and took a break, while Clint and his mom talked for a while.

"So is this the partner that you were talking nonstop about when you came home back in May?" Edith asked.

"Yeah, we've had our ups and downs. But I love her."

"That is a powerful word."

"Oh I know, mom. You just gotta get to know Emma better. She is the best." Clint said looking towards the kitchen. He could hear Emma and her aunt faintly talking. Emma was telling her about him giving her the earrings last night and her giving him his antique bow.

"I already think so if she makes my son so happy."

Clint turned back and smiled at his mom. "Now how exactly did you get here?"

"I got a phone call last week from your cell phone. But instead of you on the other end, it was this sweet voice. She introduced herself as Emma Carter, your girlfriend and asked if I would like to surprise you in New York City for the holidays as her treat. I was hesitant at first, but gave in because I missed spending the holidays with my sons."

Clint couldn't help but keep on smiling. This day was getting better and better. Why had he been so quick to judge the holiday season to begin with?

The rest of the day was spent cooking, eating, cleaning or opening gifts. Clint even offered to clean the kitchen without being asked. Emma swore it was because he just wanted to have a piece of pumpkin pie that she refused to serve until the kitchen was clean. But he denied it.

After exchanging gifts, Emma and Clint headed home – yet promised to be back early the next day to take Edith out to see a few sights in New York City before she left a few days later.

During the cab ride home, Emma cuddle close to Clint who kissed the top of her head. "Thank you for everything, Em. This by far has been the best Christmas ever."

"You deserved it."

* * *

The last week of their vacation flew by. Between spending time showing his mom around New York City and spending time with Emma, Clint had never been happier. Even though Edith Barton didn't spend a lot of time in NYC on her visit, she still was able to see a lot of sights. Clint made sure of it.

"Make sure you treat her right," Edith whispered to her son as she hugged him goodbye before she got in a cab to take her to the airport. "She's a keeper."

"Don't worry mom, I plan on it."

She kissed his cheek before moving to Emma and hugging her tightly and thanking her for everything. "Make srue you thank your aunt as well."

"I will," Emma said hugging her again. "I'm sorry that she couldn't be here, but she had to go to work today."

Edith said her goodbyes one more time before getting in to the taxi and heading to the airport. Clint and Emma stood by and watched her taxi mix in with all the rest in the streets of NYC.

* * *

_10…_

_9…_

_8…_

_7…_

_6…_

_5…_

_4…_

_3…_

_2…_

_1…_

_HAPPY NEW YEAR!_

Clint dipped Emma over and kissed her deeply in the middle of the large crowd in Times Square on New Year's Eve. He had always watched the ball drop on TV, but this was so much better. And it was so much better to have someone to actually kiss at midnight.

If he thought that the last year had been a good year, then this year was going to be so much better. He kissed Emma again and swept her up into his arms as he made his way through the crowd.

"Let's go home."

* * *

_A**N:**** Whew! The longest chapter so far! I hope ya'll enjoyed this little bit of Christmas in July! Now bits and pieces were inspired by other things. The entire tattoo on Clint's ass idea was from the New Avengers issue #28 when Spiderwoman tells Clint that she knows how he got that mark on his butt and he cuts her off. It was actually funny in the issue. So I ran with it. **_

**_Then the bow that Emma got Clint was based on an actual Tibetan bow I found on the Internet. A few other things, like Peter Parker, will eventually play a role in 'The Things They Carry'. So I made it so that they stories play off each other – if you haven't figured that out already….so leave me some loving please!_**

**_Ciao!_**


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I don't own Clint or S.H.E.I.L.D or anything related to them – but Emma is mine! So no takey! Sorry it's been a while since I've posted - my niece was born last week and it's been all about her the last few days! Look for the author's note at the bottom._

* * *

Chapter 12:

The last two years had been long and brutal. And the only place on the globe that Clint and Emma hadn't set foot on was Antarctica. While the majority of their assignments dealt with their overall objective that Fury had tasked them with, that wasn't always the case. Sometimes there was the occasional bag-n-grab if they were in the region. But those were few and far between. In fact, they both enjoyed those little detours. But what they really enjoyed was the time they got to spend with each other. Each mission, each kill, each day that their lives were on the line - just reinforced the fact that they were meant for each other and they both knew it.

By the time all their missions were complete it had been almost 2 and a half years since they had been assigned the task from the beginning – with two of those years actually living in the same apartment together back in New York City. Somehow, through it all, Clint and Emma hadn't killed each other. Sure there had been arguments about how to take out certain targets or the times that they themselves became the ones who were in the cross hairs like the time that they crossed paths with the infamous Black Widow during a mission in São Paulo. That was not a pleasant escape - they both had nearly gotten trapped in the hospital fire that the Black Widow caused to cover her tracks. But that was only one of the narrow escapes that had been had over the course of the last two years.

Thank goodness it was all over.

"I don't know about you, but there is no place like home," Clint said wrapping his arms around Emma as she stood at the stove stirring a gravy to go with their dinner she was making. She smiled as he placed a kiss into her hair and then reached over her to grab the plates for dinner.

"And I couldn't agree more," she said, turning off the stove and pouring the gravy into a bowl.

"So what's on the agenda for this week?" Clint asked as they sat down at the table after making their dinner plates.

"I think just training and our routine physicals – mine tomorrow and yours the next day. Nothing life threating."

"Damn, I was hoping we'd finally get to McMurdo or to that secret S.H.E.I.L.D. base I've heard about in Antarctica."

"Who knows with our luck."

* * *

Emma hated doctors. She hated them when she was younger because they were always poking and prodding her, trying to make sure that none of her injuries from the car accident were coming back – especially the amnesia. And she hated them now because they always seemed to surprise her with something. Especially the S.H.E.I.L.D. doctors.

"Everything looks fine Emma, but…" Dr. Ryder, the head S.H.E.I.L.D. physician, said looking over Emma's lab results.

"Wait, wait, wait…" Emma said cutting in. "You said but and that is never good."

Dr. Ryder sighed. "You were supposed to have your period last month, where you not? Since it was December during your vacation time."

"Yeah, but you know that. We've set up the shots like that for years."

"But your dosage before that was off by a few weeks because you where out in the field. So now think Emma, did you have your period last month?"

Emma thought about it as her mind ran back over the last few weeks. There was the finishing up of the assassinations for Fury. Then Thanksgiving. Helping Aunt Peggy. Christmas Shopping and Christmas. Then New Years.

"No," she said.

"You aren't the first agent this has happened to, nor will you be the last." Dr. Ryder said.

"But you're going to let me tell Director Fury in a few days, aren't you?" Emma asked holding her hands in fists towards the doctor. Good thing she had worn her gauntlets to HQ that day. She didn't want to hurt the doctor; she simply wanted to get her point across.

"I had thought the stories weren't true about your hands," he said looking at them in admiration.

"Oh they are," she said. "And unless you want to be on the receiving end of one of them, then are you going to allow me to tell Director Fury on my own or not?"

"You have one week to tell him or I will."

"I can live with that," she said standing up. "So are we done here?"

"Yes."

"Good."

She turned to leave.

"Oh don't you want to know how far along you are?"

Emma stopped as she reached the door to the examination room and turned to look back at the doctor. "How far along?"

"About 6 weeks."

She didn't say anything as she left. Her mind was going 100 miles an hour. She needed to get some fresh air and she needed someone other than Clint to talk to - someone outside of S.H.E.I.L.D. That left only one other person – Aunt Peggy. She would just have to pull it together long enough to come up with a story to get past Clint and training for the day. She quickly stopped by her quarters, changed back into her street clothes and out of her S.H.E.I.L.D. training gear and grabbed her purse before heading down to the shooting range, where she knew that Clint would be.

As she walked towards the shooting range, she thought of several different stories to tell Clint about why she couldn't train that day. But as she approached the archery range, all the stories seemed to flutter away when she saw him firing off in rapid succession several arrows. She loved watching him practice archery. He was so focused, so calm and so deadly accurate.

After a few more minutes, he was done with the quiver of arrows and turned for another one. That was when Clint noticed that Emma was standing there still in her street clothes and not her S.H.E.I.L.D. training gear. "Why aren't you changed?" he asked.

"I'm still a bit queasy from last night and Dr. Ryder told me just to take it easy today. He said that the stomach bug had been going around. He doubts that it's that, but just to be on the safe side he suggested I head home for the day."

Good thing that she had been a bit sick last night or else she wouldn't be able to pull this fib off.

"I'll head home with you," he said reaching for his quiver to sling over his shoulder along with picking up his empty one so that he could salvage any of the used ones out of the target.

"It's alright, Clint. I'm just gonna head over and see aunt Peggy for a little bit then get a few groceries for the next few days. Stay here and shoot for a few more hours or whatever. You haven't shot arrows in a few days and I know how much you like to make sure that you're not loosing your touch," Emma said gently kissing his cheek, adding to the effect that she didn't want to get him sick. "I'll see you at home in a little bit. Love you."

"Love you too."

* * *

Peggy Carter starred at her niece in disbelief. Had she honestly heard correctly? Was Emma pregnant? "But isn't the protection that S.H.E.I.L.D. provides you supposed to be stronger than what is given in a doctor's office?"

"I guess because we only have "one" a year," Emma said trying to discrete and not embarrass herself too much while talking about these things with her aunt, even though she was 24. "But one dosage was off because I was in the field on a mission."

Peggy reached across the small café table and took a hold of Emma's hands. "Now Emma, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know!" Emma said looking at her aunt with tears running down her cheeks. "I'm scared Aunt Peggy! I want to keep the baby that I know. But what if Clint doesn't? What if he leaves us?"

"Emma, you should know Clint better than that by now. Especially after all that you have gone through, I doubt that he would leave you. You just need to find the right time to tell him."

She nodded and dried her eyes with the napkin that was at the table. "I can do that," she said.

"Good," Peggy said squeezing her hands. "Now I suggest telling him as soon as possible."

"Thanks Aunt Peggy." Emma said standing up. Peggy stood up as well. Emma hugged her aunt and gently kissed her cheek.

"Now make an appointment to see a doctor outside of S.H.E.I.L.D. as soon as you can." Peggy said before Emma left the little café where they had been sitting.

"I promise I will," Emma said hugging her once again before leaving.

Peggy watched her niece leave with a smile on her face. Emma was pregnant. She couldn't believe it. She would have to call May Parker and tell her as soon as she could.

* * *

When Emma had arrived home from picking up groceries, Clint was waiting for her with dinner completely made – her favorite meal: chicken alfredo with salad and bread sticks.

"You made this?" Emma asked setting down a bag of groceries, since Clint had taken the others from her.

"I made the salad. After trying to cook for you a few times and almost burning down the apartment as a result, I got take out. But it's from your favorite Italian place a few blocks over," he said as he put the milk in the refrigerator and took a few other items from Emma as she unloaded the rest of the groceries. "You didn't need to make dinner tonight since you weren't feeling good eariler. So I picked it up on the way home."

Once all the cold items were put up, Clint took Emma's hand and led her over to the table and sat her down before sitting down across from her. She loved it when Clint surprised her.

"So are you feeling any better?" he asked while they ate.

"A little. I just think it's readjusting to being back in New York so much instead of being in the field so much."

"I'm sure we'll have a mission soon."

Emma sighed as she took a bite of pasta. It was now or never. "Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be normal for a change? You know have a 9 to 5 job, family, kids?"

"It's crossed my mind a time or two. But you're 24 and I'm 27, plus we're assassins. I don't think that our type can be normal. We just weren't made that way. Why do you ask?"

Her entire world shattered. There was no way that if she told Clint that she was pregnant with his child at this moment that he would stick around after what he just said. Perhaps she'd tell him another time. "Oh I was just wondering. I keep seeing all these tabloids with pregnant stars and I don't know how they do it with their jobs and having a family."

"Money makes the world go round."

"Yeah, I guess," she said finishing her dinner. Even though they talked about other things the rest of dinner, Emma couldn't help but keep on thinking about what Clint had said about not being normal. That had struck a nerve with her.

* * *

'…_I don't think that our type can be normal. We just weren't made that way…'_

Clint's words kept repeating themselves over and over in Emma's head as she tried to get to sleep that night. Next to her, Clint slept without knowing that Emma was crying herself to sleep. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she silently wept so that she wouldn't wake him up. How was she going to be able to tell Clint after he basically told her that he didn't want a family? She would just raise the baby on her own. She could do it. She had enough stashed away and she was sure that she could change her status as S.H.E.I.L.D., perhaps become a handler like Coulson or a trainer at HQ so that she could be home every night. Yeah it would be a change, but it would be worth it – even if Clint didn't stick around.

Eventually her tears dried up and sleep came to her.

* * *

"Hello?" Emma said, answering her cellphone as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. The ringing had woken her up. Next to her, Clint slowly began to wake up. He looked over at her, wondering who she was talking to this early in the morning.

"Emma?" a familiar voice said. "It's May Parker."

"Oh hi," she said sitting up in bed. She glanced at her alarm clock "What can I do for you Mrs. Parker at 7 am in the morning?"

"It's about Peggy."

"What about her?"

"She's on her way to the hospital. She's had a stroke."

* * *

_Author's Note: Now I know that the Depo Shot does not stop your period from coming, but this is S.H.E.I.L.D. for crying out loud and they got some advanced stuff so I made up some new stuff for them! So just go with it! Also starting next week, sadly, my summer is over….that means less writing time. But have no fear I will not forget about this story! It just means that updates might be like a week apart…so we shall just see how it all flows since I am teaching a new subject this year. _

_Review and enjoy please! I'll update at least one more time this week!_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Disclaimer and AN: Emma is mine, but everyone else belongs to Marvel! So Enjoy and please leave me some loving!**_

* * *

**Chapter 13:**

"How is Emma holding up?"

Coulson.

"She's pulled back into shell of sorts. I wish I knew what to do."

Clint.

"She's fighter. Always has been. Always will be. She'll come through. Give her time."

Fury.

Silence followed by footsteps with the front door opening and closing. She then heard Clint sigh heavily. She imagined him leaning his head against the door frame, trying to figure out what to do next.

Lying in the bedroom, a new round of tears began. This wasn't how life was supposed to be. Her aunt was supposed to still be alive. She was supposed to be the one to tell the doctors to pull the plug not some stupid lawyer because her aunt had filed living will and a 'Do Not Resuscitate' order with her attorney since Peggy knew that Emma would keep her living as long as she could. It wasn't fair in Emma's mind. Who was going to help her raise the baby if Clint wouldn't?

It had been three miserable, tear filled days since that phone call when May Parker woke up Emma and Clint with the news about Peggy. She was supposed to take her to the doctor for a check up but instead found her on the floor of the living room. There was no telling how long she had been there. Emma had spent every second since then up at the hospital next to her aunt's bed until the very end. The entire time, Clint was either by her side or nearby. And that made her rethink her earlier thoughts about Clint not wanting to have a family. She had to tell him. He deserved to know.

She slowly sat up and swung her feet over the edge of the bed before standing up. She slowly walked towards the doorframe and peered into the living room. Clint was standing in the position that she had imagined him in. He turned his head and looked at her. "Hey Em, are you feeling any better?"

"A little," she said as she took a step towards him. But a sudden wave of nausea hit and sent her scrambling to the bathroom.

"Emma?" Clint asked in worry as he rushed to make sure that she was ok. He found her slumped against the back wall of the bathroom with her face buried in her hands. He gently rubbed her knee as he sat down on the floor with her. "I know something else is bugging you. Something has been bugging you since the night before all of this started. Whatever it is just tell me and you know that I've got your back not matter what."

Emma slowly looked up at him. "Promise?"

He nodded.

"I'm pregnant."

Clint brought a hand up and ran it along the side of Emma's cheek. "Really?"

She nodded as tears began to slowly run down her cheeks again. He gently wiped them away before helping her up off the floor. "How about some Sprite or something and saltine crackers for your stomach?" he asked.

Emma nodded as she watched him leave the bathroom before quickly brushing her teeth and then joined him in the kitchen. As soon as he saw her standing in the kitchen, he turned around and pulled her close to him. "Is this where that question about a 9 to 5 job came from the other night?"

She nodded as she looked away from him. "You know you don't have to help me if you don't want to," she whispered. "I know that you said that we can't be 'normal' and that we weren't made like everyone else."

He silenced her with a kiss. "You know that I put my foot in my mouth more often than not," he said after the kiss. "I'm sorry I said that, Emma. I'd be normal with you in a heartbeat."

She smiled and leaned into Clint as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him. Now this was how life was supposed to be.

* * *

Emma was thankful that May Parker helped her organize Aunt Peggy's funeral. There was no way she could of done it all on her own. Luckily, Peggy had already made her own arrangements years prior and Emma knew about them. At the time she had thought that it was a bit morbid, but now she was thankful her aunt had been so proactive.

The outpouring of love and support from complete strangers during the visitation and funeral shocked Emma the most. She had no idea that her aunt had touched the lives of so many people. Customers from the bookstore were there along with friends from the local church that Peggy had attended and even former and current S.H.E.I.L.D. members were there. Fury gave her an amazing eulogy, just like Emma knew he would.

During the graveside service, Emma stood in between Coulson and Clint, who was holding her close to him. As the casket was being lowered into the grave, Emma leaned over and handed Coulson a note.

"She wanted you to have this." Emma whispered.

Coulson unfolded the note and read the tight, neat script on the inside: '_It's up to you now to find him, Agent Coulson. I know that he is still out there. Never stop looking.'_

Along with the note, was a faded picture of skinny, pale young man. He flipped it over and read the name on the back – Steven Rogers, 1942.

"Captain America before the Super Solider Program." Emma whispered again. "She never stopped believing that he was somewhere still out there."

"Neither have I." Coulson said smiling as he slid the picture and note into his jacket pocket.

* * *

The next few weeks were long and tiring. When Emma went to tell Fury that she was pregnant, she wasn't surprised that he already knew and already had a plan in place to keep her around – she was put in charge of mission control and deployment at HQ along with risk analysis.

"Just until after the baby is born," he said.

"Then what? Coulson's gonna babysit while Clint and I are back in the field?"

"No. Then you move to a role like Coulson's with a bit of training or new recruits thrown in. There might be an occasional mission here and there. No promises."

"Even better," she said with a smile.

Other than that, she began the slow process of going through everything at Peggy's townhouse and deciding where it needed to be donated to, if it needed to be tossed or kept. Seeing that Emma needed him with her for a while, more than S.H.E.I.L.D. did, Clint was given some time off to help her adjust. They also made an appointment to go to an obstetrician for a check up on Emma. She figured that she was probably somewhere about 8 weeks. During that first visit, Clint felt the entirety of all of what was happening in one single moment.

"And here is the baby's heartbeat," the doctor said.

Emma couldn't take her eyes off the ultrasound and Clint couldn't take his eyes off of Emma. She looked to be absolutely glowing. If this were what normal felt like, he'd take it any day. And he couldn't wait until their son or daughter was born.

* * *

"Just a routine bag-n-grab in the northwest. I should be back late tonight." Clint said on a phone call with Emma as she walked back to the apartment from the bookshop. She had been working there that day, going over the books and making sure that everything was in order before she was to return to S.H.E.I.L.D. full time.

"Just be careful."

"I will. Love you."

"Love you too."

Emma hung up the phone and unlocked the apartment. As she walked inside, she was grabbed from behind. She tried to fight off her assailant, but whoever it was defiantly was stronger and taller than she was. And since he had her in such a tight grasp, there was no way that she could wiggle free.

"No use in ya getting away. I need ya for later," he deep voice said as Emma's eyes grew huge as a white cloth was brought to her mouth.

Chloroform.

Within a minute or so, Emma was rendered unconscious as her assailant dropped her limp body to the floor and began to trash the apartment. In the middle of the all chaos, the assailant placed Emma's purse on the living room table with a note underneath: _'Finder's Keepers. Losers Weepers.'_

Before leaving, he picked up her cellphone out of her purse, thumbed through it for the number he needed then smashed the cellphone with his foot.

"Up we go," he said picking Emma up off the ground. "Wouldn't want my brother to find ya like this now would we? Nope, I have far better plans for you."


	14. Chapter 14

_**Disclaimer and AN: I don't own anything related to Marvel….but Emma is mine! I had wanted this chapter to be longer, but sadly with my summer coming to end tonight, it had to be shorter…have no fear! This week is just getting read for the kiddos to return! So I don't have to really do lesson plans yet! So I can sorta stay up late. Have no fear! More chapters will come soon! Leave me some loving please!**_

* * *

**Chapter 14:**

Clint couldn't help but smile as he leaned back in the Quinjet seat and relaxed. The bag-n-grab was an cinch and now he was on his way back to NYC. Within no time, he would be home with Emma. Ever since she had told him that she was pregnant, he hadn't wanted to away from her for more than a few hours for something like training. He knew that he would have to go away on missions for time to time, but maybe if he were lucky, there wouldn't be many over the next couple of months. He knew that that probably wasn't going to be likely, but he could always hope.

He thought back over the last few weeks and just how much his world had changed. He was going to be a father! He couldn't believe it. Eventually, he had known that he wanted to have a family with Emma, but if this was when it was when it was meant to happen then who was he to argue with fate. Now came the question – should he ask her to marry him? He already knew the answer to that question and it was yes. But then Emma might only think that he was asking her to marry him because she was pregnant with his child and not because he honestly loved her, which was the furthest thing from the truth – he loved her more than life itself. So he was stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place – he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't.

Screw it. In his eyes, they were a family. They didn't need a piece of paper telling them what they were. There would be a time and place for all of that. Right now he wanted to focus on what was the most important thing and that was getting Emma through this pregnancy in one piece. Every since finding out that she was pregnant, he had been reading anything that he could get his hands on about pregnant woman and frankly some of it was scary!

Mood swings.

Odd cravings.

Weight gain.

But some of it was insightful. At least he had a little bit of an idea as to what was going on inside of Emma's body. He had done all of this in secret because he hadn't wanted Emma to know just how much he was really worried about her. He knew how stressed and worried she could get about little things. And being pregnant was not a little thing.

He would just have to keep her calm and unstressed as much as he could. Even if that meant doing twice as much as he normally did – such as doing double duty at S.H.E.I.L.D. and working at the bookshop. Loosing sleep would be worth it in the end for a healthy baby and a happy Emma.

"Sitwell and I have a bet," Coulson said nudging Clint as he sat down next to him.

"What's that?" he asked.

"I have a bet that your kid is going to be a girl and he bets that it is going to be a boy."

"And what's the pot?"

"The loser has to do the other's reports for a month. Nothing big."

Clint smiled as his cell phone vibrated in his bag. He reached down for it and looked at the picture message from an unknown number.

He didn't say a word as he handed the cell phone to Coulson, who looked at the image on the screen.

It was of Emma. She was tied to a chair and gagged with her feet and hands bound in something- looked to be either rope or tape.

"This isn't good," Coulson said as he calmly stood up and went to radio the helicarrier to let Fury know what was going on, while Clint stood up and began pacing the floor of the Quinjet. Who could have managed to kidnap Emma?

But before Coulson could do anything, Clint got another message on his phone. Coulson read it aloud. "All it says is '_Finders Keepers', _" he said looking at Clint who had stopped pacing. Clint's jaw had locked tight as he turned and sent his fist into the bulkhead.

"I take it that you know who has Emma?" Coulson asked.

Clint nodded as he rubbed his hand from where he had hit the bulkhead. "Yeah I do. Can you get me a location from the text message and picture message?"

"Sure, but if whoever has Emma is smart, I doubt that they will be in that same location by the time that you get there. We're still 30 minutes out of the city."

"Oh he'll wait. Besides he doesn't want to kill her," Clint said, checking his quiver of arrows. "He wants to kill me."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Oh I just know…"

* * *

"_Finders keepers, Losers weepers!" _

"_No fair Barney!" Clint said running through the circus that they now call home. Barney had just found a golden ring that someone lost from a performance that night before underneath the stands. Clint had crawled underneath and got it for him, while he had snatched it from his little brother's fingers and ran through the circus away from his little brother. _

_Clint never got anything from his brother. That was until he got a chance from the Swordsman to develop his skills at fighting but even that had its costs. Clint ended up with two broken legs for letting the Swordsman leave the circus after embezzling money. When Barney found out he was furious and he walked out on his little brother – leaving him on his own. Needless to say, Clint didn't follow a very good path for a while, got in with a wrong crowd for a few more years – all while trying to fit in, wanting to make others happy. He had been so blinded by actually being accepted by a group of people, even if they weren't the best of people that he was working with. _

_Sadly, after realizing what he had been "trained" for by his mentor was to help rob people, Clint left his adopted family and found another circus to join and it was there that Nick Fury had found him…but that wasn't that last time that he had crossed paths with his brother…_

* * *

"…during one of the assassinations last year in Moscow, we were taking out a drug cartel. Emma took out most of the men in hand to hand combat, while I took out the others, but one of the last ones that I took out was Barney." Clint said as he stood in front of Fury and Coulson aboard the Helicarrier.

"Did you kill him?" Fury asked.

"No."

"Why not?" Coulson asked.

"Because he saved Emma. She was about to get shot from behind and he took out the guy, but I still had to make it look like I shot everyone. So I shot him in the shoulder."

"Doesn't look like he wants to save Emma now." Fury said. "But it looks like he has her out on Coney Island. We can send a team in and have her out in minutes."

"No." Clint said. "This is between me and him. Let me handle it, sir. If I'm not out in 30 minutes then send in a team."

Fury looked at Coulson, who shrugged. "Fine. You've got 30 minutes Barton. But I'm not loosing my best two agents. If you are not out in 30 minutes I'm sending in the whole damn cavalry."

"Yes sir."

* * *

Emma's head felt like it was about to explode. Whoever had attacked her was strong, she had to give them that much. She blinked a few times and allowed the room she was sitting in to come into focus. He hands and feet were both bound with rope and her mouth was gagged with some kind of cloth. Inhaling through her nose, she gave herself a few more minutes to let her brain unfog from the chloroform that had been used to knock her out. Once she had done that, she focused on her hands. Slowly the ropes began to sizzle and finally fell away. Quickly, Emma untied her feet and tossed the mouth gag to the side. She listened to tell if her captor was anywhere nearby.

Nope.

She stood up and made her way towards a nearby door and slowly opened it. But as she opened it, an arrow impaled itself into the panel and she gasped in shock. Glancing over her shoulder she saw a large figure looming over her.

"Barney Barton?" she asked as she realized who it was.

Her realization was met with a backhand across the face. Emma shook it off and then looked at him with a smile on her face before swinging upwards. She nailed him with a right hook that sent him flying backwards. He grabbed his face where it was burning and starred and Emma who was now standing up with her fist that was glowing red and yellow.

"What that fuck are you, you freak?" he asked aloud.

Emma didn't say anything as she approached him and went back to hit him again but he grabbed her and twisted her arm back. All Emma heard was a snap as her shoulder broke. She screamed out in pain.

"Gotta have something for my brother to find." Barney said standing all the way up as he dropped her to the ground. "Try to escape again and I will send an arrow through you without hesitation."


	15. Chapter 15

_AN and Disclaimer: I don't own them – but Emma is mine!_

_Sorry for not updating! But sadly, real life has come back with the start of school and my students have to come first then writing. Sorry. But I really wanted to get this done for you. So I am giving up sleeping for you. Now in response, how about some reviews – that would be nice!_

* * *

**Chapter 15**

'_Of course, he would pick an rundown amusement park_.' Clint thought to himself as he notched an arrow into place and wearily entered one of the run down amusement parks that dotted the Coney Island landscape. He had arrived at the GPS location that Coulson had given him from the text message that had been sent to him.

Gentrification had helped bring back the area recently, but not everywhere. He stepped slowly into the rundown amusement park, while surveying his surroundings. His eyes darted all around him, trying to determine where to go first – the games area or the rides.

Knowing time wasn't on his side, he opted to search the abandoned rides first – starting with the hall of mirrors.

Slowly entering the run down building, Clint looked around and slowly stepped inside. Listening for any sounds, he heard whimpering. Continuing to make his way through the hall of mirrors, he listened for the whimpers that he swore had to be from Emma. After a minute or so, more of walking, he came to upon an area where he was completely surrounded by mirrors. And in every single one of the mirrors was an image of Emma – batter, bruised, whimpering and curled up in pain. In a fit of rage, Clint broke all the mirrors with his fist. As the pieces of the mirrors fell down, Emma's location was revealed. She was curled up in a corner on the floor.

"Emma!" Clint cried out, letting down his guard as he rushed towards her. She wearily looked up at him, as her eyes grew wide. Clint caught the change in her eyes and quickly rolled to the side just as an arrow when whizzing past him and impaled itself into the ground just at Emma's feet.

Clint got to his feet and let loose the arrow he had notched in his bow at his brother's perched position before quickly loading another one – this time an explosive one. It hit its mark, on the beam just below where Barney was perched sending him flying to the ground. Locking another arrow into place, Clint made his way towards his older brother, who was slowly getting to his feet.

"Why Barney!" Clint demanded.

Barney didn't say anything as he launched himself at Clint, knocking him to the ground as he began to punch him. The two brothers continued their physical fight, without their bows and arrows, which had both gone scattering across the floor. Looking up from the corner, Emma knew that she had to do something to help. Barney was bigger than Clint, but maybe if she could distract him somehow – then Clint could get his bow back.

She slowly crawled along the floor to where Clint's bow was and pulled it close along with a few arrows. If her shoulder hadn't been broken, then she would have fired it herself. She continued along the floor until she was just about to the fight. She pulled up with all her strength and lifted herself off the ground. It distracted both of the Barton brothers just enough to allow her to drive one of the arrows that she had in her hands in to Barney's leg.

That was when two things happened. Barney grabbed the bow that was in Emma's hands and quickly fired it at her, hitting his square in the side, while Clint dove for the other bow and arrows and quickly let go two arrows into Barney. He didn't care where he hit. He just needed to get him away from Emma at any cost – even if it meant killing his own brother. Barney stumbled back and hit the floor at the same time as Emma's bruised and battered body hit the ground as well.

Clint raced to Emma's side and pulled her into his arms. An arrow was protruding from her side and there was a lot of blood, but it looked to be in an area that shouldn't have hit anything major – oh god. The baby. His heart began to race. Emma needed medical attention. The baby possibly needed medical attention. He quickly reached for his phone and sent a message to Coulson that Emma needed a medical evac.

"Clint…" Emma whispered as she turned her face to look towards him. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"Shh baby," he said, not wanting her to move too much. "Save your energy. You need it."

"I'm sorry…" she whispered as her eyelids began to get heavy. "I love…"

She couldn't finish the sentence as she lost consciousness. Tears slowly swelled around the corners of Clint's eyes as he held Emma's body close to him and sobbed.


	16. Chapter 16

**_Disclaimer and AN: I don't own them….well Emma is mine! This is a quick turn around because I love ya'll. So reviews would be nice._**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

"…_and if it's a girl?" Emma asked with a glowing smile on her face as she curled up next to clint on the couch. She still clutched the sonogram photo in her hands. Clint had already told her that if it was a boy, that he wanted it named after him. Emma had laughed because it seemed that all men wanted 'their' name to be carried on that way. _

"_Audrey."_

"_Audrey?"_

"_Yeah. I don't know why I like that name. I just do. So what about you? I thought girl's always had their children's names picked out all their lives."_

"_I like old fashion names. So I like your middle name, Francis. But for some reason the names Howard and Maria stick out to me. Francis Howard has a nice ring to it doesn't it? Maybe call him Frank or Frankie for short or something like that." Emma asked looking up at Clint as she managed to take her eyes off the photo for a second. _

"_It does, but we would have to work on a better nick name. And Audrey Maria also sounds good."_

"_I think we have our baby names picked out…"_

* * *

Clint wearily shook the thought from his head as he heard footsteps down the hall to his right. He had lost track of time since he had arrived back at HQ with the medical evac. He had been allowed to be transported back with Emma but that was as far as the medical team would allow him to go with her. He basically had to be pulled away from her by Fury and Coulson. One of the only things that was reassuring was that Dr. Richards had been brought in to assist with Emma's pending surgeries. But that was only a little bit of reassurance.

She had lost so much blood.

She had gone into shock.

She had lost consciousness.

God only knows what else had been done prior to her.

He had vaguely heard talk of a broken shoulder.

If he lost either Emma or the baby then his brother was a dead man.

Yes, luckily for Barney Barton, he had survived the entire ordeal and was promptly taken to the raft by S.H.E.I.L.D. agents once they had arrived when Clint had made the emergency call. He would be treated for his injuries there. Nothing life threatening. Too damn bad.

But that could all change.

Yet there was still one over arching question – why had Barney done this?

Walking slowly down the hall, Dr. Ryder – the head S.H.I.E.L.D. physician – made his way towards Clint, Fury and Coulson, who had all been waiting for any word on Emma's surgery.

"How is she, doctor?" Fury asked standing up along with Coulson. Clint couldn't find the energy in his legs to do so. He just needed to know about Emma and their baby.

"Lucky is an understatement." Dr. Ryder said. "Her internal injuries were worse. But Dr. Richards and I managed to stabilize her for the time being. We stopped the bleeding, removed the arrow along with her gallbladder and a little piece of her liver. Then to prevent infection, we took the spleen as well."

"Anything else?" Fury asked.

"A few bruised ribs and a broken shoulder. She'll be in a medically induced coma so we can monitor her injuries along with her head to make sure that she doesn't have a reoccurrence of traumatic brain injury."

"What about the baby?" Clint managed to choke out.

Dr. Ryder's face fell flat as he sat down next to Clint. "I'm sorry Agent Barton, but we did everything that we could to save them both but because of the severity of Agent Carter's injuries and the toll it took on her body, she lost the baby."

Clint nodded then looked down at the ground. He couldn't let his commanding officer and his handler see how upset he was over this. He brought his hands up to cover his face as a tear rolled down his cheek and splashed to the floor.

Dr. Ryder stood back up. "Agent Carter is about to be moved to ICU. I already know that there is little to no chance of Agent Barton not visiting her there, so I'm not even going to try and stop him. She'll be in her room in a hour."

"Thank you, doctor," Fury said before Dr. Ryder headed back into the OR to make sure that everything was complete on Emma before they moved her into ICU.

Fury turned and looked at Clint who was still sitting with his hands in his face. Neither he nor Coulson knew what to do or say to him. What do you say in a moment like that?

* * *

Clint gingerly ran his calloused fingers along Emma's cut and bruised face, down her nose to her lips – carefully avoiding all tubes and wires – along her collarbone then down her left arm, which wasn't broken, stopping at her finger nails. They were one of the few things that were definitely Emma – painted a vivid lilac purple. He leaned over and kissed each finger softly as tears gently fell from his eyes.

Their baby was gone – simply because of his vindictive brother's selfish deeds. If Barney knew what was best for him, he would stay in prison the rest of his life because one Emma finds out, then she will probably want to kill him with her bare hands.

God, how was he going to tell her? Would he find the right words?

He lay his had down on the side of her bed and sobbed. This wasn't fair. Their shot at a family was taken away in an instant. Clint knew that they could get through this. It would be hard. But they had each other and he knew that he was going to have to be strong enough for the both of them because this was going to cripple Emma emotionally when she found out.

* * *

"Do you think that the Infinity Formula could help her heal faster?" Coulson asked looking into the ICU room.

"It's too unstable." Fury said.

"What would make it stable?"

"The Super Solider Serum." Fury said. "That's why we're still looking for Captain America's body. We need to reproduce that serum."

"Then is she going to be test subject one?"

"And he will be test subject two."


	17. Chapter 17

_**Disclaimer and AN: I don't own them – I'm just borrowing them for a little bit. But Emma is mine! Sorry for all the sobs and tears last chapter! So I hope that you try to enjoy this one! Please….**_

* * *

**Chapter 17:**

Phil Coulson had no idea how to handle Clint Barton anymore. No wonder Fury had left him to deal with Barton, while he dealt with the mess that Barney had left behind. Coulson hadn't been read in on it yet, but he could already tell that there was a lot more to this then just revenge against a brother. He knew that Fury would let him know when the time was right. Until then, Coulson had to deal with Clint Barton.

It had been two long, weary weeks since the entire ordeal with his brother and Emma being put into a coma. And since then, Clint had taken up a new routine.

In the morning, he would wake up on his makeshift cot in Emma's ICU room (if he had been allowed to stay) or in his actual S.H.E.I.L.D. quarters before getting ready for the day. Then he would head down to the archery range, where he would use explosive arrowheads and destroy every single target in a matter of minutes before heading back the ICU to meet with Dr. Ryder to find out how Emma was healing before being chased out by nurses to get something to eat for himself so that he didn't waste away from worrying. After proving that he had a meal of some sort, the nurses would finally left him back in to see Emma later that afternoon, where he would sit by her bedside and just watch over her. Sometimes Coulson would see him brush some loose hairs from her face or gently run a finger down the side of her healing face. Other times he would see him holding her hand as he was whispering things to her.

But the evenings were the worst. Clint never wanted to leave ICU at night. It was almost like he was afraid that something was going to attack Emma while he was away from her. Honestly, Coulson couldn't blame him – Emma had been attacked when Clint was away. Finally, after a few days, Coulson had come to a deal with the nurses and Dr. Ryder. Clint would be allowed to sleep next to Emma's beside in ICU for two nights then he had to sleep the third in his quarters in the main part of S.H.E.I.L.D. HQ. Everyone could live with that.

Yet for some reason, this night Clint didn't want to leave the ICU. It was a night that he was supposed to sleep in his S.H.E.I.L.D. quarters, but he wouldn't budge from his seat next to Emma's bedside. The nurses on staff had called down Coulson to help take care of Clint.

"He refuses to leave," the head nurse said as Coulson rounded the corner. "He won't say why and I'm not going to force him. I know what he can do with a bow and arrow."

Coulson didn't blame her as he walked into Emma's room. Clint sat in his usual spot, next to Emma's bed – ever vigilant, refusing to budge. He was acting too much like a hawk, living up to his nickname. He looked up as his handler entered the room. "I'm not leaving," he flatly said.

"Then you better have a good reason why you're not," Coulson said as he pulled up a chair next to him.

"All of this is my fault! Not killing Barney when we had the chance in Moscow. Leaving Emma on her own that night. Not letting Fury sending in everyone to get Emma out immediately. If I hadn't of been so hard headed then Emma and the our baby might both be safe!" Clint said in a wave of emotion that Coulson was not ready for.

Sensing that Clint was tethering on the verge of an emotional break, Coulson needed to get him out of HQ for a break from everything. "When was the last time that you left HQ?"

"The night Emma was injured."

"I'll make you a deal. Come with me for just a few hours away from HQ then I will try to convince the nurses to let you stay with Emma tonight."

Clint nodded and stood up from his chair beside Emma's bed as he followed Coulson out of the room. He hung back a bit while Coulson stopped at the nurse's station and whispered a few words. The head nurse's eyes narrowed at Clint then softened when Coulson had told her something. He figured that he must have struck a nerve or something.

"Come on," Coulson said, motioning to Clint. They walked down the hallway of the ICU unit. "I made a deal that if you leave them alone to tend to Emma and prepare her to come off the barbiturates tomorrow then they will let you stay the night."

"Wait what?"

"They are doing what?"

"They are taking her off the drugs that are keeping her in the coma. She should come around tomorrow. That is why they were so adamant about you leaving tonight."

"Oh."

"But I made a deal that if I got you out of their hair for a few hours then you could stay the rest of the night."

Clint nodded in agreement as he followed his handler out of the hospital wing, down the main corridor of the S.H.E.I.L.D. HQ and out to a waiting car for them. Clint didn't question Coulson on where they were going. They drove a little ways into the city to a local diner that he and Emma had eaten breakfast at several times before. He figured that this must be a place that several S.H.E.I.L.D. agents came to eat.

"How about some food other than what we get at HQ," Coulson suggested.

"I could use pancakes." Clint said getting out of the car. "Breakfast for dinner is always the best."

* * *

"You know that this isn't your fault." Coulson said, leaning back after he finished off his omelet. The two S.H.E.I.L.D. agents hadn't said much during their meal. Now was the perfect time for Coulson to get everything that was bugging his master archer out in the open.

"Honestly, I know that it isn't, but I can't help feel that way when I see Emma lying in that hospital bed hooked up to all those tubes."

"You aren't the only one who is furious that she is in this entire situation."

"What do you mean?" Clint asked looking at his handler.

"Fury has been at the Raft every day interrogating that brother of yours. He refuses to give any information. I think once Emma is healed, she will personally have to beat it out of him."

"Either she will or I will."

"See the blame belongs on your brother, not on you. He was the one who took Emma and lured you in."

Clint didn't say anything for a second. "…and he killed our baby."

"And he is being brought up on charges, plus hopefully terrorism if we can get anything out of him."

"You know I really was looking forward to being a father, Coulson. I had just gotten used to the idea. Emma and I already had names chosen. I had never seen her so happy since we had been together. I really think this is what she has wanted all her life."

"What's that?"

"A family of her own. A real family."

* * *

Clint couldn't sleep. This had become a typical thing over the last two weeks. Usually it was that he was worried that he would wake up and Emma would be gone, just like their baby. Other times it was that he didn't want to be plagued by nightmares of Emma being shot but an arrow from his brother. Then there were the dreams of what could have been. The dreams of his and Emma's baby. Those were the worst.

It was those dreams that made him realize just how much he and Emma had lost in that single act of violence. From something created out of love to something being taken away in cold blood. He knew that their baby had been no larger than a grape – but it had been theirs. It was their something special.

He watched Emma's chest rise and fall with the aid of machines in the dim light of the room. Tomorrow he knew he would have to answer the ultimate question – what happened to their baby – when Emma came out of the coma. She was already being weaned off the barbiturates, so it shouldn't been too much longer until she would be slowly coming around. And he wanted to make sure that he was there when she did wake up.

He gingerly reached out for her cool hand and squeezed it. "I promise that we'll have a family together someday, Emma. Anytime that you want, I promise."

Clint leaned up and kissed her cheek before sitting back down in the chair that had become his perch for the last two weeks. There he kept his guard for the rest of the night, nodding off a time or two. But the one thing that Clint didn't notice was the single tear that had slipped from Emma's eye and had rolled down her cheek.

* * *

Something tugging on his shirtsleeve roused Clint the next morning. He groggily opened his eyes and rubbed them only to come face to face with a sight that he had been longing to see for over two weeks – Emma's soft brown eyes. A smile lit up on his face as he ran to the door and called for a nurse then ran back to Emma's bedside.

Both the head nurse and Dr. Ryder quickly came into Emma's room to check on her. "You are a fast healer," Dr. Ryder said as he began to take the air tube out of Emma's throat. She coughed violently and graciously drank the water that the nurse offered her. Clint moved out of the way, while Emma was given an examination before Dr. Ryder asked her if she felt like walking for a minute to test her motor skills since she hadn't been out of bed in over two weeks.

"I'…l..l…tr..y.." she stumbled out, her voice still a bit scratchy.

Clint helped her out of the bed, carefully not to hurt her fractured shoulder anymore and helped steady her before allowing her to walk across the room for Dr. Ryder a few times, which she did with very few stumbles. Satisfied, Dr. Ryder called for a wheelchair to move her to a regular medical recovery room for a few more days.

Once she was settled, Dr. Ryder wanted to talk to her a bit more before allowing anyone else to talk to her one on one. But he did allow for Clint to be in the room at least.

"Do you remember anything that happened to you Emma?" he asked.

She nodded. "I was drugged," she slowly said. "Kidnapped, then I tried to escaped but I had my shoulder broken. Then everything is a bit fuzzy. I remember Clint showing up. A fight. Then lots of pain."

"Well it's a good thing that you remember that much. It shows us that your brain didn't suffer any injuries. But all your internal injuries have healed. All that remains is your fractured shoulder, which will require the use of the brace you are wearing and rehab. But we can talk about that in a few days. You will need to stay in the medical wing for a few more days."

Emma nodded in understanding as she turned to look at Clint who smiled at her. He was fighting back tears. He didn't know how he was going to tell her about the baby once Dr. Ryder was gone.

"Now the more rest she gets the faster she gets out," Dr. Ryder said to Clint as he stood to leave.

Clint nodded as he stood up and moved closer to Emma's bedside. He wanted to ease into the conversation about the baby, but Emma wasn't waiting. As soon as the door to the room was shut, she began asking questions.

"He killed our baby didn't he?"

Her bluntness blindsided Clint. He nodded yes as he sat down on her bedside so that she could curl up against him, which she did. Tears began to soak Clint's shirt as he wrapped his arms gently around her so that he didn't hold her too tightly. He didn't want to hurt her injured arm any more.

"I promise you Emma, we'll have a family some day. Just tell me whenever you are ready and we'll start trying," he whispered into her hair as tears began to fall from his eyes as well. She nodded against his chest.

He held her like that for the next little bit while she cried for what they had lost.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Disclaimer and AN: I don't own Hawkeye and everything related to him, but Emma is mine! So please leave me some loving! This chapter is much happier! I promise!**_

* * *

**Chapter 18:**

"I don't want to go back to that apartment."

Clint looked down at Emma as he wheeled her down the hallway from her physical therapy session. It had been a little over a week since she had come out of her medically induced coma and since then she had been undergoing intense physical therapy every day.

"So where do you want to live then? Back here at HQ?"

"No."

"Then where?"

"I dunno," she said in frustration. "It was a stupid request."

Clint didn't say anything else as he finished pushing her back to her room. He knew that being locked up in this same room was frustrating for her. Hell, it was frustrating for him! Since she was now conscious, Dr. Ryder kept remind Clint that the more rest Emma got, the faster until she would be discharged from the medical wing. That essentially meant that he couldn't spend a lot of time with her other than during visiting hours. So Clint made it a point to help Emma to and from rehab on her shoulder, then he would give her time to rest while he went to shoot some quivers before coming back to see her at night.

When they got back to Emma's room, Dr. Ryder was waiting for them. "So how is therapy going?" he asked as Emma got up out of the wheelchair and walked back over to her hospital bed and sat back down on it.

"My shoulder feels better. I just don't think that I will be doing any gymnastics for a while."

"Not for a while." Dr. Ryder said as he began his physical examination. "But hopefully we'll have you back up to speed in no time."

Emma sighed as she allowed Dr. Ryder to finished the examination before getting fully back into bed. Off to the side, Clint watched her worriedly. Something was wrong with Emma. It was almost as if she was beginning to get depressed. As Dr. Ryder was leaving the room, Clint quickly followed him.

"Dr. Ryder, wait I have a question."

"Yes Agent Barton?"

"How much longer does Emma have to stay here? I mean, its almost like she is getting depressed."

"Actually she is being released today. She's still going to have to attend physical therapy, but she can do that and return to light duty, just no in field assignments with the exception of one this afternoon."

"One this afternoon?"

"Yeah. I believe that you are going as well. You both have to report to Fury in an hour." Dr. Ryder said as a nurse approached him carrying a S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform and gear for Emma to change into. Clint took the uniform and gear from the nurse.

"Thank you Dr. Ryder." Clint said as he turned and walked back into Emma's room.

As he entered the room, Emma looked at him with a questioned stare as to why he was holding a uniform and gear in his arms. "We've got a mission," he said with a smile on his face as he set the gear on her bed.

Her face seemed to light up. "Really?"

He nodded yes. "Now come on and get dressed. We've got to meet Fury in an hour."

* * *

Emma closed her eyes and smiled as she turned her face towards the sun as she and Clint left HQ and headed towards a S.H.I.E.L.D. car. The only thing they had been told was to meet Fury at the docks. This was the first time in almost three weeks that Emma had walked outside on her own. Sure Clint had rolled her outside in a wheelchair a time or two, but this was different. Now she was free.

"Come on Em," Clint said smiling at her from the driver's side of the black sedan. "You can bask in the sun later. We don't want to keep Fury waiting."

"Spoil sport," she said getting into the car. "But I am rolling down the window."

"What ever pleases you," Clint said.

During the drive, Clint couldn't help but notice that Emma was quieter than normal as she stared out the window. The last few days, she had been non-stop talking to him about anything and everything – well everything except the notion of family. And with her not talking typically meant one thing – something was on her mind. "You ok over there?" he asked.

She nodded without looking at him.

Liar.

"Em, if you aren't ready for a mission, I'm sure that Fury can send someone else. You just gotta tell him."

"No I'm ready."

"Then what's bugging you?"

She turned to look at him with a tear slowly rolling down her cheek. "Just seeing the women with their kids on the streets, its made me think of what could have been. That's all."

Clint reached over and wiped the tear away as they waited at a stoplight. "We'll have a family whenever you want one Emma. Just because its not right now like we thought doesn't mean it still won't happen."

"I know."

"And as soon as you are ready, I am ready."

Emma smiled and leaned over and kissed his cheek before the light turned green. Clint hoped that this mission that Fury wanted him and Emma on wouldn't take long because he and Emma needed some long overdue alone time.

* * *

Nick Fury stood on the docks as the black sedan pulled up and Emma slowly got out of the car followed by Clint. "You're late," he said.

"Sorry, sir." Emma said. "It took a while to get dressed. My shoulder is still a bit tender."

"What is our mission sir?" Clint asked, trying to change the subject.

"Prisoner transport. From the Raft to the Vault."

"Typically we take prisoners straight to the Vault, not transport them there later." Clint said.

"True," Fury said. "But this one is a special case."

He motioned for his two agents to turn and look as their prisoner that they were going to be transporting was marched out from the holding area. Flanked by six S.H.E.I.L.D. guards was Barney. Neither of them were actually surprised. "During an investigation of the amusement park, it was discovered who has been funding him." Fury said handing a datapad to Emma.

She quickly looked through all the information with Clint looking over her shoulder. "Hydra? But Hydra's been gone since World War II." Emma said with puzzlement in her voice.

"Not according to him." Fury said. "But instead of the minor charges he was originally facing, he is now being charged as a terrorist. Therefore he goes to the Vault."

"Fine with me." Emma flatly said turning and walking onto the Quinjet where the soldiers had taken Barney.

"Are you sure that she is ready for this?" Clint asked once Emma was out of earshot.

"Physically, yes. Mentally, I sure as hell hope so."

* * *

"Please?" Emma asked sweetly as she sat in the co-pilot's seat.

"No." Clint said as they made their final approach towards the Vault – a maximum security S.H.E.I.L.D. prison high in the Rocky Mountains. The worse of the worse were sent here. Clint and Emma had brought prisoners here a time or two, but never a prisoner transport.

"But it would be so quick and easy. And by the time they performed an autopsy, any trace of it would be gone. Come on I have on vial on me. Barney would never know what hit him."

"This is a prisoner transport and not a sanctioned assassination."

"We should've killed him in Russia when we had the chance," she mumbled as she crossed her arms and slouched in the seat. The entire flight she had been plotting ways to kill Barney before they reached the Vault – they ranged from crashing the Quinjet and ejecting her and Clint to the heart attack injection to just beating the shit out of him while he was restrained. There were several ideas in between, but her best idea had been the heart attack injection, but Clint wouldn't go for it.

Clint ignored her comment about Russia as he landed the Quinjet in the landing area at the Vault. "Come on let's just get him turned over and get home," he said looking at her.

"Fine."

They stood up and made their way towards the back of their Quinjet, where Barney was sitting still in his restrains. Clint helped him stand as Emma led the way off the jet and into the sunlight.

"Ya know little bro, if I would have known that you had such a nice piece of ass I would have come after her a lot sooner." Barney whispered as he and Clint walked behind Emma.

Clint tightened his grip on Barney's restrains – not saying a single word because he didn't want to upset Emma, but it did no good. Emma had heard what Barney had said. She turned around and sent a right hook right for his face and connected with his jaw. This time she made sure that she had left burn marks across his cheek but stopped short of breaking his jaw. Barney's face went backwards, but he didn't hit the ground or anything. Clint caught him and stood him back up.

"Say another word about me and I'll break your fucking jaw." Emma snarled as she got in Barney's face.

Clint didn't say a single word to her as she turned back around and kept walking towards the main entrance to the Vault. He knew that she needed that.

* * *

After returning to New York, Clint and Emma were given orders to return to the next morning for a meeting with Fury and Coulson. Without hesitation, Clint ushered Emma towards a borrowed S.H.E.I.L.D. car and took off into the depths of Manhattan before they even had time to change into street clothes. "Where are we going?" she asked as Clint drove them somewhere. "Our apartment is the other way."

"I know but I want to show you something," he said.

After a little while of driving, Emma noticed that they were heading towards the Upper West Side. Eventually they stopped in front of Aunt Peggy's old townhouse. "Why are we here Clint?" Emma asked as they got out of the car. She pulled on a jacket around her S.H.E.I.L.D. uniform so that she didn't draw too much attention to herself. It was a pretty form-fitting outfit.

"Look at this place Emma. I know that you love it here and it's a great place to eventually raise a family. This morning you said that you never wanted to go back to that apartment. I can understand that. So why don't we move here instead of you selling it? You can sell your apartment instead." Clint said moving to stand next to her on the passenger's side of the car.

Emma looked up at him in the pale streetlight. "You really want to have a family with me someday?"

"I mean it, every time I say it."

She smiled as she wrapped her arms around him and lay against his chest. "I love you Clint," she said. "And I think moving in here would be a great idea."

"Good," he said as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss into her hair. "I love you too."

After a few minutes of silence, Emma spoke back up. "So where are we staying tonight?"

With a sly smile on his face, Clint swept Emma up in his arms and carried her up the stairs. "You have a change of clothes here right?"

She nodded.

"Then we're staying here. It's late and I've missed holding you at night."

Emma smiled as she wrapped her arms around Clint's neck as he maneuvered her in his arms so that he could get the keys to the townhouse out of his pocket. He unlocked the door and carried her inside.

* * *

Clint's calloused fingers slowly traced the new scars along Emma's abdomen before his lips found them. He continued to kiss along her stomach, up her chest, lingering on her perky nipples for a brief moment then moving towards her collarbone where he ran his tongue along it – eliciting a moan from Emma. He continued his third assault on her body by kissing her neck and nipping at it then moving to her lips where he kissed her deeply. They had already made love twice that night and he would go for another, but he knew that they did have to go to work in the morning. They need some rest since there was no telling what Fury would have them do the next day.

"God, I've missed you," he whispered as he broke their kiss as he pulled up a sheet and blanket around them to keep them warm. Emma snuggled against him as he lay on his side and looked at her. He gently traced the side of her face as they lay against a bed of pillows on the floor of the living room. "I've missed holding you. Watching you sleep. Kissing you. And just seeing your smile."

"You're pitiful but romantic," she said leaning over and kissing him.

"Marry me?"

Emma's eyes went wide. "What?"

"Marry me. I'm not saying like tomorrow. But someday, when the time is right. Hell I don't even have a ring right now. But I do know that I want to marry you, Emma Carter. I knew that over a year ago during our missions. And this entire thing with the baby and my brother just made me realize how much more precious life really is."

Emma smiled as a tear gently rolled down her cheek. She nodded yes. "I'll marry you someday Clint Barton, when the time is right. I promise."


	19. Chapter 19

_**AN and Disclaimer: I don't own them, I'm just borrowing them for a little bit! But Emma is mine! **_

_**I hope ya'll enjoy this! I wanted it to be longer, but I also wanted to post this tonight. So I cut it back a bit. So feedback is always welcomed!**_

* * *

**Chapter 19:**

"But I'm ready for active duty!" Emma argued.

Fury raised an eyebrow at her. "Even if you were but back into rotation, you would be kept on light duty within HQ. No missions. It's either take time off or sit in a desk and be miserable. Take your pick."

Emma huffed as she sat back in the chair at the conference table that she, Fury, Coulson and Clint were all sitting at.

"Plus almost breaking the jaw of a prisoner that you are transporting is not a way to prove that you are fit for duty," he added.

"Then what is he going to do?" Emma basically yelled, pointing furiously at Clint.

"He's no good without you. And given that it was a solo mission that Agent Barton was on when you were taken, I doubt that he'll go on any in the very near future without you." Fury said.

"So if you're on desk duty, Clint is as well. Or if you take a vacation, Clint goes with you." Coulson said finishing Fury's thought.

Emma's eyes moved to Clint and he shrugged his shoulders. A vacation would give them time to move from the apartment to the townhouse. "How long would we have to be gone?" she asked.

"Until we need you for this assignment with Hydra. It might be a few weeks; it might be a few days. If you decide to go to your place house in London or run off to some random destination, let Coulson know. That's all I ask. We just need to get more information on this re-emergence of Hydra." Fury said.

"Fine," Emma said begrudgingly. "We'll take time off."

"Good." Fury said standing up. "Take some time and get things together, Emma. You may think that you are ready for active duty, but I think you will soon feel otherwise."

Emma stood up from the table and sighed. "I hope you are right sir."

Fury placed his hands on her shoulders and looked at her. "You are my best deep cover agent. I've seen many like you come and go. And many like you have been brought down by less. That is why I am pressuring you to take time off. I know that your life hasn't always been that easy. Hell none of ours has. But you have got to enjoy it a little when you can."

She nodded then left the conference room with Clint right behind her.

"Do you think that she will listen?" Coulson asked once she and Clint were gone.

"No telling with her." Fury said. "But having Agent Barton with her will help. He keeps her grounded."

* * *

It took a little over a week to get everything packed up from their apartment and moved over to the townhouse, given that Emma's shoulder was still a bit tender. Clint gave in and hired some movers to help them to make things go smoother and quicker, but it still seemed to drag on forever. What took the longest wasn't moving all of their things into the townhouse. No it was moving all of the things of Aunt Peggy's that Emma had decided needed to be given to charities out. Since they had to hired help, she felt that it was the perfect time to load up the truck and drive it all down to the drop off locations. That was what took the longest.

"I'm never moving again!" Clint said collapsing on the couch after returning from dropping off the last load of goods for charity.

"But doesn't it feel good to give back?" Emma asked sweetly as she tossed him a bottle of water.

He simply rolled his eyes at her and began to drink the water. As he continued to drink the water, he noticed something about the amount of furniture left in the townhouse. It wasn't much. "Um Em. I thought that you were keeping some of Aunt Peggy's stuff."

"I kept some of it. Like her desk and dining room table along with a few other odds and ends. But other than that I got rid of her bedroom stuff, living room set and the other random pieces."

"How come?"

"Too many memories," she said as she sat down next to him on the couch. "Plus I though that we were going to make this our home."

Clint smiled and pulled her close for a kiss. "I like the sound of that."

Emma smiled back and quickly stole a kiss from him first before laying her head against his chest. "You know I was thinking earlier, if we got married our information would have to become public record."

"Yeah, so."

"Wouldn't that endanger our jobs at S.H.E.I.L.D.?"

"Other agents are married."

"Other agents aren't spies."

"What about when we have a family? What are we going to do then? We both can't work for S.H.E.I.L.D.?"

Emma sighed as she sat up and looked at him. "I know. And here's what I was thinking…"

She trailed off, wondering if she should continue or not.

"What were your thinking?" Clint asked.

"If and when I did become pregnant, I would stay on at S.H.E.I.L.D. as a consultant only and run the bookshops full time. Then at least one of us would be at home all the time. I know you love archery and being in the field about as much as I love books. I can't ask you to leave S.H.E.I.L.D. just to be with me and have a family."

"But you know I would."

"I know." Emma said with a smile on her face. "And I also know that Fury will keep you close to home for my sake. He's pretty good about giving those agents with families time off when they need it, just as long as when there is a crisis that they are there, which I know that you will be."

"So are you saying that you want to already start trying for a family?"

"Not just yet, but soon. Just gotta make sure everything still works down here," Emma said as she rubbed below her stomach. Clint understood what that meant. She needed to go to the ob/gyn for a check up after the miscarriage.

"Now back to the idea of marriage," Clint said pulling her back into his arms. "What if, for now, instead of getting you a big fancy engagement ring and going through the entire ceremony to make it "official" we did something that had meaning just to us."

"But we'll still do the ring and the ceremony someday right? Cause a girl dreams you know."

Clint smiled and kissed Emma's temple. "I wouldn't rob you of that. I'm just talking for right now. While we are both still with S.H.E.I.L.D."

"Ok, so what were you thinking?"

"Something unique but meaningful to just us," he said thinking out loud. "I know. On your foot. Why did you get the infinity symbol as a tattoo a few years ago?"

"Because I don't like limits. And it is a symbol without any limits…"

Then it dawned on her as she looked up at Clint and smiled "Just like love can be."

"Just like love can be."

* * *

Little by little over the next few weeks, live began to get back to normal. Clint had gotten an infinity symbol tattooed on his right foot just below his big toe – in the exact same place that Emma had hers. This was their "meaningful" thing. The more Emma thought about it, the more she actually liked the idea. She and Clint both had made some pretty powerful enemies over the years and if they were to ever get married then all their information would become public. They were already taking a chance with having a family, but that was a risk they were both willing to take. They had decided that one risk at a time.

And to them both – family seemed to be a much stronger calling then marriage at the moment. They both felt that they didn't need a piece of paper to determine their legal statues toward what they already felt for each other. Both of them knew that they would get married someday, when the time was right.

Clint nervously sat in the waiting room of the ob/gyn office. Part of him had wanted to be back in the room with Emma during the examination and the other part didn't. Dr. Ryder had told them that Emma probably could have children someday, but that they still should see an ob/gyn just to make sure. Clint didn't doubt what the doctor had said, but Emma wanted to be extra sure.

And living up to his promise, Clint had joined her at the doctor's office that day. He wanted a family as much as she did. That's why he was here, sitting in a doctor's office, getting several uncomfortable stares from several women.

Fidgeting in his seat, he glanced at his watch – 45 minutes had gone by. Ugh. What the hell was taking so long? What if they had to run tests on Emma? What if they had told Emma that she could never have kids and she was bawling her eyes out?

Several scenarios began to run through Clint's head as the door to the office finally open and Emma walked out. Clint sighed in relief. She didn't look like she had been crying. Emma made another appointment with the receptionist and she left the office with Clint in tow.

He waited until they were in the elevator and alone until he asked any questions. "So, how'd it go?" he asked wrapping an arm around her waist.

"They ran a few tests and whatnot," Emma said "and since my body seems to be still used to the birth control that I was on, the doctor doesn't want me to start anything else until its out of my system to see if that can regulate everything again. Then we'll go from there."

Clint arched an eyebrow at her. He was a little confused. "So can we or can't we have children?"

"Yes, but probably not for a few more months. That doesn't mean we can't try." Emma said smiling.

"I think I can manage that."

* * *

It was early in the morning and the soft moonlight streamed into their bedroom, but Clint couldn't sleep. Emma lay sprawled across his chest sleeping after they had spent the good part of the evening in various compromising positions. Emma had surprised Clint by wanting to try some unique positions, which had been damn good – but for him, not beat having Emma on her back and slowly making love with her. That was his favorite position. He loved looking into her eyes as they had sex. He couldn't explain why he loved this with Emma, he just did.

He slowly ran his fingers through Emma's hair that was cascading down her back. Holding Emma in his arms, he knew that his entire world was perfect. But how long would it last?


	20. Chapter 20

_**Disclaimer and AN: I don't own them – but as of today I am the proud owner of an Avengers DVD/Bluray combo! So here is a long overdue chapter. Enjoy!**_

* * *

**Chapter 20**

They slammed him down into a chair forcefully, tied his hands behind him and tied his ankles together before beginning to yell at him. But he couldn't hear a thing that they were saying to him. All he could hear was a ringing in his ears from the explosion that caused him at get captured. Plus his ankle hurt like hell.

This is why he should have waited for Emma. But no, something about her paperwork getting lost in the shuffle and Fury needed them in the field immediately. That meant he had to go alone. Fury had promised that the problem with Emma's reauthorization paperwork would be quickly cleared and she would be joining him in no time.

Clint should have argued.

Madripoor was never a good place.

The next thing Clint knew was that he had been backhanded across the face.

Allowing his eyes to refocus, he glared at who had caught him. Was this the Hand? Was it Hydra? Who the hell had managed to get the upper hand on him? He did the only thing that he could do. He spit on their shoes.

The man who had backhanded him was going to hit him again when someone entered the room and interrupted them. "Bring him to her," he said motioning to Clint – thank goodness Clint had learned to read lips and this guy was speaking English. The others helped Clint up out of the chair and out of the room.

What the hell was going on?

* * *

Emma was beyond furious. She should have been in Madripoor with Clint.

But no.

Some dumbass pencil pusher in HR had lost her reinstatement paperwork thus keeping her out of the field longer. Thus leading to her new predicament. She had just been informed that Hydra forces had captured Clint, after an explosion outside the Hydra compound in Madripoor. They had no idea if Clint was alive or dead. Clint had been sent out into the field only two days prior and almost immediately gotten captured. S.H.E.I.L.D. had greatly underestimated the situation.

She damn near decked Fury when she found out, but instead sent her bo staff through a nearby glass window instead that separated the training facilities on the Helicarrier from some of the labs.

"You've been cleared." Fury said once she had been done throwing her fit. "Now get the hell to Madripoor and get Barton out of there."

Emma turned on a dime and sprinted out of the training area towards the flight deck of the helicarrier. Thank goodness they weren't that far from the coast of Madripoor. Coulson would drop her in Malaysia, where they had a treaty with the government then Emma would take a normal flight into Madripoor, arriving at their international airport a few hours later. She would be there by the night's end.

That just left the small matter of convincing someone to help her. Good thing that she had listened to Nick Fury's old war stories about his buddies from time to time…

* * *

Emma opened the door of the Princess Bar and walked inside the dive of a bar. _"Good not too crowded,"_ she thought as she walked in and spotted the guy she was looking for at a corner table.

Short, stalky, hunched over trying not to draw too much attention to himself as he chewed on the end of a cigar. He wore a patch over his left eye. For a second it vaguely reminded her a Nick Fury. She made her way over to him and sat down.

"What ever it is, I don't want it," he snarled.

She raised an eyebrow as she pulled out her cell phone and pulled up a picture. She passed it over to him. He glanced down at it then looked her up and down.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Let's just say someone who is in need of your unique services," Emma said with a smile.

"And what 'unique services' might that be?" he asked as he raised a glass with whiskey in it to his lips.

"Your tracking ability and hatred of Ophelia Sarkissian."

He stopped and set the glass down. "What do you know about her? And how do you know about her?"

"How isn't a big deal right now. But I know enough about her. So here's my deal. You help me get my partner out of her prison and I will make sure that this." She tapped her phone and the picture that was still on it, once again. "Is yours."

He still wasn't convinced. "Who sent you to me anyways?" he asked taking that sip of whiskey.

"Nick Fury."

He damn near choked on his whiskey then. If he thought that he was old, then Nick Fury had to be old as well.

"He's my commanding officer." Emma said. "And he's told all his best recruits stories of his old war buddies. I've mentally cataloged all of them and built files on all of them. But yours is the most interesting and largest."

She began to tick off things on her fingers.

"CIA. Weapon X Program. Department H. The X-Men. Both World Wars. And that was only a little of what I could dig up with barely looking. Imagine what I could really dig up if I knew your full name, Logan."

Underneath the table, Emma could feel one of his Adamantium claws digging into her leg. "Now, if you did that," she said, in a whisper. "You will never get the Muramasa Blade. Which isn't that the only thing that can harm you? I could make a small fortune selling it to several people. So how about we just make this easier on you and me. Quid pro quo."

"Who are you really?" he snarled.

"Emma Carter," she said. "Agent 13 of S.H.E.I.L.D."

"The assassin?"

"I prefer spy. But yeah that's me."

She could feel that claw retracting. "I'll help you for two days. Then you're on your own. And I expect my sword then."

"Deal." Emma said. "But you come up with how to get him out."

* * *

Emma couldn't believe how simple of a plan Logan had come up with. Bust in; take out anything and anyone in their way. Madame Hydra as Ophelia Sarkissian was typically known as had set up shop as the head of the Madripoor underground as their chief crime boss. The Hydra complex sat along the coastline back against a dense jungle.

"What makes you so sure that this is going to be as simple as you make it out to be?" Emma asked as she secured a recurve bow and a quiver of arrows to her back as they looked over the Hydra complex from a boat off shore. She had bought houseboat from an elderly couple that was more than willing to part with it for the amount of money that she paid them.

"There is a bloodsport tournament today." Logan said, motioning towards a building on the far side of the Hydra complex. "Champions have been coming in all week. Like to take out several of them myself, but your deal was more interesting."

"Isn't that where you fight to the death or something?"

"Yeah."

"You get me to Clint and get us out then you can go crash that tournament." Emma said as she walked back into the galley and walked back out on to the deck. There she handed him a slender case. He knelt on the deck and opened the case.

Inside laid the Muramasa Blade.

His Muramasa Blade.

"How did you get this?"

"A few years back taking out some members of the Hand in Japan. It was found during the raid. Of course I did research."

"Fury better hold on to you if he knows what's good for him."

* * *

The ringing had subsided, but now there was nothing.

Nothing but silence.

Something in that explosion had caused permanent damage to his hearing. What good was he now? Emma wouldn't want to stay with him if he couldn't hear her say his name any longer – either in conversation, in anger, in danger or even when they were making love. Just the sound of Emma's voice always seemed to set his world right.

Yet now that was taken from him.

So what used was he to anyone now?

How long had he been in this cell anyways? If he had been caught, then there was no way in hell that Fury would send Emma in alone to rescue him. Perhaps when his ankle had healed enough, he could manage to escape. But how would that work? He wouldn't be able to communicate with anyone! He didn't know sign language and he didn't know any of the Filipino or French, which were two of the three languages of Madripoor.

Clint wearily lifted his head as the door to the shady cell he was in flung open as Emma ran in flanked by a stocky, surly looking man. That was when his heart skipped a beat. Emma had come to rescue him.

"Come on!" Logan said. "Get him and let's go!"

"You ok?" Emma asked, helping Clint to his feet.

He wanted to say no. He wanted to pull her close and passionately kiss her on the lips but there was someone unfamiliar in the room – so that was out of the question. So he did the only thing he could do. He didn't answer her.

When Emma didn't get a response from Clint, she did notice that he was barely putting any weight on his right foot. She leaned him against the wall and slipped his boot and thick sock off. He tried to pull his foot back in pain, but Emma held it firmly in place as she gently examined it.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Logan snarled.

"Seeing what is wrong with his ankle!"

It was partly true. She was also checking to see if a small tattoo was just below Clint's big toe. Because there was a reason Clint hadn't answered her when she had asked if he was ok. He would have told her that his ankle was messed up.

Good there it was – the infinity symbol.

And his ankle was the at least double in size. It was either badly sprained or broken. She slipped back on his boot without tying it too tightly and stood back up. Clint just looked at her. She pointed to her lips so that he would focus on them. "Broken," she said.

He nodded before allowing her to help him walk again. The trio made their way down the cellblock and towards to main entrance again. Clint noticed all the Hydra guards that were down with slash marks across their chests. It looked like an animal had attacked them. What had happened to them? He would just have to find out later.

Within minutes they were out into the main courtyard. "There." Emma said pointing. "That jeep."

Covering their backs, Logan allowed Emma and Clint time to get to the jeep and get in. That was when Logan bid them adieu. "I got a party to go and crash."

"Thanks Logan," Emma said before she sped off.

As Emma sped through the dense jungle back towards the coastline, while Clint had taken the bow and arrows that she had armed herself with and sat ready to fire if needed. But luckily nothing came their way.

And for the first time in a few days, Clint was beginning to fell like he was worth something again.

* * *

Within a matter of minutes, Emma had pulled up to a set of docks. She helped him out of the jeep then out onto a small dingy houseboat. It was typical for what was found in Southeast Asia. She carefully led him below deck into the bedroom, which was remarkably well kept and set him down on the bed and propped his foot up as she slipped his shoe and sock off his right foot.

She got his attention as she motioned for him to pay attention to her lips. "Let's get a way out then I will take care of this."

She pointed to his ankle. He nodded in agreement.

Before she left, she leaned over and kissed him deeply on the lips. After Emma disappeared to the upper deck, Clint lay back and for the first time in a few days, fell into a comfortable sleep.

A gentle brushing along his forehead roused Clint from his sleep. Emma gently smiled down at him as she cleaned off his forehead with a washcloth. he reached up and brushed a few loose strains of hair from her face then traced the curve of her cheek with his finger.

God he loved her. How did he manage to get so lucky.

'_Ready for me to wrap your ankle?'_ said a piece of paper that she held up.

He took the pen that she held out to him. _'Yes,' _ he wrote back. '_And I love you Emma.'_

' _I love you too.'_

Clint watched as Emma gently removed the ice pack that she had placed on his ankle a few minutes ago before beginning to wrap his ankle. Within no time, she had it all wrapped up and set so that it wouldn't get worse than it already was. She picked up the pad again. _'What happened?'_ she asked.

Clint looked at her then began to write out the entire ordeal. Someone was going to have to be able to tell S.H.I.E.L.D. what had happened to his hearing. Hopefully they could restore some of it. Some of it was better than none of it.

* * *

"…so according to Clint, he thinks this explosion is what caused his hearing to be damaged." Emma said standing outside the examination room with Fury and Coulson. It had been almost a week since Emma and Clint had been picked up in Madripoor by a S.H.E.I.L.D. transport. She had told Coulson the story first, but this was the first time that she had seen the director since then.

"Almost total loss according to Dr. Ryder." Fury said.

Emma sighed as she gently ran a hand along her stomach. This wasn't what she wanted to hear. Her morning had already been a good morning. Now Fury was trying to ruin it. "So what's going to happen?" she asked.

"I said almost. Dr. Ryder seems to think these new type of hearing aids will be able to help Agent Barton. They go deep into the ear and stay there for a few months. It will in no way hinder his work with S.H.E.I.L.D."

"it won't?" Emma asked looking up at Fury with a smile on her face.

"No."

In the examination room, Dr. Ryder motioned for Emma to come in. Fury and Coulson didn't say anything as she joined Clint and Dr. Ryder.

"Do you think she is going to tell him?" Coulson asked.

"It will be the first thing he hears." Fury answered allowing a rare smile to spread across his face.

Dr. Ryder explained how the hearing aids worked and how they would take a bit of time getting used to. After that Clint was dismissed. Emma stood off to the side and smiled down at Clint as he sat in the examination chair. "What?" he asked, being the first thing she had heard him say to her in over a week.

Continuing to smile, she leaned over and whispered into his ear. "I'm 7 weeks pregnant."

* * *

**_AN #2: YAYAYAYAYA! _**

**_I know that a lot of the stuff with Wolverine was skewed a bit, but hey it's a fan fic! So I hope that you enjoyed. Please leave me some loving!_**


	21. Chapter 21

_**Disclaimer and AN: I don't own the Marvel characters except Emma is mine! Here is the latest installment! Enjoy! Feedback is always nice!**_

* * *

**Chapter 21:**

Emma sat at her desk in their home office starring at a calendar. She and Clint hadn't been home long from him getting fitted for hearing aids. She smiled to herself as she circled a week on her calendar.

"What are you smiling about?" Clint asked as he leaned against the doorway.

"Just trying to figure out where we were when our baby was conceived," she said smiling as she stood up and walked towards him.

"So where were we?" he asked pulling her close.

"Our mini vacation in Bora Bora."

That made Clint smile even more. "See I told you that sex on the beach was a good thing!"

Emma laughed as she wrapped herself into Clint's arms. Today had been a good day. She had found out that she was pregnant instead of thinking she just had a stomach bug. Then Clint had gotten his new hearing aids and for the first time in over a week she had been able to hear his voice again. She was so thankful that Dr. Ryder has been able to restore Clint's hearing with the help of hearing aids. Saying 'I love you' felt completely different when you wrote it on paper then when you actually said it. Plus living with Clint for the last week had been a bit stressful. He hadn't wanted to do much, write much to attempt communication with her or anyone else and there were times that he seemed that he didn't even want to touch her. She knew that it was because everything was so different and it frustrated her to no end because she couldn't do anything right then for him.

But now everything had changed. Clint was back to himself.

Thank God.

"Same names that we had originally agreed on?" Clint asked as he placed a hand against Emma's stomach as he held her in his arms.

She lifted her head from his shoulder and nodded.

"Good," Clint said as he swept Emma up into his arms and carried her into the living room. "I like those names."

"But I have a feeling that we're gonna have a little girl."

"I hope so," he said as he sat her down on the couch then sat down next to her. She curled up against him and sighed happily. "Then she can look just like you."

"Yet have your eyes." Emma said looking up at Clint as she lay curled in his arms.

"Just as long as our baby is happy and healthy."

"Agreed," Emma said. Then something crossed her mind. "But what if our baby inherits my fiery ability?"

"Can it be passed?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Neither does Dr. Richards. He did manage to create some pills that would mask the abnormality in my blood whenever it's being tested by the ob/gyn."

"Well that's good! Less questions about your blood."

"But what about if our child has other problems because of me!" Emma said beginning to hyperventilate. "I really don't think that we need to have a child without checking out all of these questions. What if the baby is a mutant? God Clint! What are we going to do?"

"First off take a deep breath," Clint gently said squeezing her shoulders. Emma did what he said. "Good. Now Emma, there is no way we can tell if our child is going to have any problems because of what Lukin did to you. That is a chance I am willing to take. Are you?"

She nodded as she turned to look up at him.

"Now if our child does turn out to be a mutant, who the hell cares. I'm a freak who can hit damn near any target and you have a fiery personality. That doesn't mean I wouldn't love our baby any more or any less. How about you?"

"I'd love it all the same."

"Now why are you worrying?"

"I just am."

"Well don't. you worry way to much and its bad for both you and the baby."

Emma arched an eyebrow at him.

"I've read about pregnant women and how their bodies change. I just wanted to know what I was getting into the last time you were pregnant. At least now I know." Clint admitted.

"Aww that's so sweet!"

Clint couldn't help but turn bright red. Emma wiggled around more in his arms so that she was able to wrap her arms around him as she lay her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss into her hair.

"I love you Clint. Thank you for taking care of me." Emma said.

"No Em, you take care of me. And I love you too."

* * *

The next day, Emma and Clint sat across from Fury and Coulson. She had wanted to get this conversation over with as soon as possible.

"Now what are your plans, Agent Carter?" Fury asked.

"I would like you to consider a plan that we had previously discussed where I would move into a role and become a trainer and analyst. But at the same time, I also want to have more control over my aunt's bookshops."

"So you would split your time between S.H.E.I.L.D. and the bookshops?" Coulson asked.

"More like 75% with S.H.E.I.L.D. and 25% at the bookshops."

Fury sat back and considered her plan for a moment. Emma was far too valuable to loose. That was evident when she had complied a dossier on Logan under his nose. He wondered who else she had built information on from his past. Or even those that she had met in the field and never mentioned to him or Coulson. "Ok here's what I will offer. You can train newcomers until the end of your first trimester or whenever you begin to show. That is my call to determine. After that it's moving into the role of chief analyst. Basically you will report to me about threats you see around the world or potential targets/allies. You are good at reading people and research. And that is what I need. Also you can take time off for your bookshops."

"I can agree with that." Emma said smiling.

"What about me sir?" Clint asked.

"Agent training and domestic targets only. I don't want a repeat of what happened a few months ago. After Agent Carter gives birth, we will re-evaluate what roles you will take. It all depends on what is happening around the world."

"Yes sir." Clint said.

Underneath the table, Emma gently squeezed Clint's leg and smiled at him. This was definitely going to be a change. But a well worth change.

* * *

"Hi mommy. Hi daddy," the technician said as Emma and Clint watched the first ultrasound of their baby. Emma had a huge smile on her face and tears were even beginning to build in her eyes. She looked up at Clint just as a tear slipped down her cheek. He smiled back at her, wiped the tear away and leaned in and gently kissed her lips.

"I love you baby," he whispered.

"I love you too."

"How many copies would you like?" the technician asked interrupting their moment.

"Umm 3," Emma said.

The technician nodded and printed three copies of the ultrasound. She handed them to Emma before leaving.

"Who are you going to send those to?" Clint asked while they waited for the doctor to come in.

"One for us. One for your mom and one for our baby to have when they are older."

Clint quickly kissed her again before Dr. Counce came into the room to finish the visit.

"So far everything looks good, Emma," he said looking at her charts and the ultrasound picture. "Just make sure to take it easy and relax. It will go a long way in preventing another miscarriage."

She nodded. Dr. Counce gave her a few more tips for being pregnant and how to relax, along what vitamins to take, not to take and what foods to eat along with what foods to avoid. "Now I'll see you back in a month." Dr. Counce said before ending the appointment. "If you need anything, just call."

Emma told him thank you before she and Clint left the office.

"Come on, mommy," Clint said wrapping an arm around her as they left the office. "Let's go get you and baby some lunch. Then I will take you shopping."

Emma did a double take. "Did you just say you'll take me shopping?"

"Well something for the baby!"

"Shopping is still shopping to me."

After lunch, Clint lived up to his word and took Emma shopping – but for baby items. Since they still didn't know if they were having a boy or a girl, they had to shop for unisex items. He took her to Toys R Us in Times Square. There was a Babies R Us in that location. Emma found a picture frame for the various ultrasound pictures that they were going to get, along with a photo album/scrapbook. Those were what she picked out. Clint picked out a cute teddy bear. He had had a bear when he was younger and he thought that his baby needed one too.

Once thing Clint noticed when they were looking at the baby furniture, Emma had a permanent smile on her face. And there was a new glow to her as well. Just looking at her, he could tell that she was happy and content with what was going on. He couldn't help but fall in love with her all over again.

Perhaps this was what they both needed. He knew that Emma had wanted and needed a family of her own – but maybe he did too. And he was ever so thankful that he had found Emma to share this with. He just knew that she would be a great mother. He hoped that he would be a good father as well.

Only time would tell.

* * *

The next few weeks, Emma noticed several changes.

Mood swings.

Hormone swings – which Clint didn't mind because they ended up having sex often. He knew that some women wanted more sex, while some wanted none at all. He was thankful that Emma wasn't turned off of sex - or this was going to be a long nine months.

Weight gain. This was what she hated the most. Some of her clothes were beginning not to fit. And every time that another piece of clothing didn't fit, she ended up crying. The entire time, Clint tried his hardest to calm her down and keep her relaxed. He knew that if they could get through the first trimester, then the chance of miscarriage dropped a bit. And that was what he was worrying about the most. Their first miscarriage ripped Emma to shreds. She would never admit it, but he knew just how much it did hurt her. It hurt him as well.

Then there were the beginnings of the food cravings.

"Are you going to share any of that with me?" Clint asked as Emma ate the Ben and Jerry's ice cream directly from the container. She had sent him on a midnight run for ice cream when she woke up about 11:30 pm with a craving for something sweet.

"Nope," she said as she slowly walked from the kitchen to the living room and plopped down on the couch and turned on some late night TV. Clint watched from the doorway as Emma used her growing baby bump as a sort of makeshift table to lean her ice cream container on as she watched TV. He thought it was adorable. After a few minutes, he noticed that Emma began to nod off.

"Come on baby," he said taking the half eaten pint of ice cream from her and helping her off the couch. "You've got a big day tomorrow! My mom is arriving for a visit."

"But baby wants ice cream," Emma mumbled as he helped her to bed.

"Baby can have ice cream tomorrow. You two need sleep."

"Ok."

Once Emma was in bed and her ice cream was safety put up, Clint sat beside their bed and watched her sleep for a few seconds. He couldn't help but smile. Here Emma was at 15 weeks. They had successfully made it through the first trimester. That was why they had invited his mother out for a visit then. They wanted to make sure Emma and they baby were going to be ok. Earlier that week, Emma had told Aunt Peggy's best friend, May Parker about being pregnant and Emma swore the older woman's face lit up. She had even convinced Emma to allow her to give her a baby shower in a few months with some of Peggy's older friends. Emma had given in just because she knew that her aunt would have wanted it.

Clint just hoped that his mother would be just as happy as Aunt May was.

* * *

"How is my sweet boy!" Edith Barton said as she greeted Clint as he picked her up at the airport the next morning. Clint couldn't help but blush. She pulled her youngest son into a hug and planted a huge kiss on his cheek. Even at 28 years old, his mother still embarrassed Clint at times.

"I'm fine mom," he said as he put her luggage into the borrowed S.H.E.I.L.D. car.

"Where's Emma?" Edith asked as Clint pulled out of the airport.

"She's went to her bookshop this morning. But she should be home when we get there."

"Good. So how are things between the two of you?"

"Better than ever," he said with a smile on his face.

Edith eyed her son. She knew something was going on. Either her son had asked Emma to marry him or…

"Oh my God! Emma's pregnant isn't she?"

Clint's mouth dropped open as he turned to look at his mother. "How'd you know?"

"The way you are so happy."

He sighed. "Yeah, Emma's pregnant."

Edith smacked her son upside the head.

"Mom! I'm driving!"

"I don't care! Are you planning on marrying her?"

"Eventually. We've already planned all of this out. We want our child to be able to be there with us when we get married."

"Good," Edith said. "At least one of my sons is going to be able to make me a grandmother."

Clint cringed at the mention of his older brother. S.H.E.I.L.D. had devised a story that Barney had been killed in a training accident. And that some ashes had been returned to their mother – but these ashes weren't really Barney. Emma and Clint had attended a "funeral" for him as part of the story. But he wasn't going to tell her that Barney had tried to kill Emma a few months ago and caused her to loose their first baby.

After a little while longer, Clint and his mom arrived at the townhouse, where Emma greeted them with open arms.

"You look wonderful!" Edith happily said hugging Emma as soon as she saw her.

Emma couldn't help but smile as she hugged Clint's mother back. Clint stood off to the side and watched as his mother began to fuss over Emma. This was a side of his mother that he had never seen before. He didn't mind so much either. He hated that his mother lived so far away. He had asked her to move to New York City before, but she refused saying that she rather live in the country than the city anytime.

* * *

Edith Barton spent about a week visiting Emma and Clint. The entire time she fussed over Emma. She cooked, cleaned and even took Emma shopping for just a few things for the nursery that Emma and Clint had begun to slowly put together. They still didn't know if they were having a boy or a girl yet so the color scheme was yet to be determined. But Emma did manage to decide on one for a boy and one for a girl.

"Ladybugs and flowers for a girl and zoo animals for a boy." Emma said showing Clint the pictures on her phone as she curled up next to him on their bed the night before his mother was going to leave.

"Either is fine with me," Clint said as he kissed the top of Emma's head as he wrapped his arms around her, before gently resting his hands on her stomach. This was one of his new favorite positions to hold Emma. He was secretly hoping to feel their baby moving. He had read that around week 17, the baby would start moving more. Even though Emma wasn't that far along, he still hoped that he could feel their baby sooner than that.

Emma smiled to herself as she leaned into Clint and began to doze off. She couldn't have asked for anyone better to have a family with.

"Please keep sending me ultrasound pictures!" Edith said hugging Emma goodbye.

"We will. We find out in about 4 weeks if it's a boy or a girl. I'll be sure to have Clint call you and let you know as soon as we find out."

Edith nodded in agreement as she hugged Emma once again before moving to her son. "You're doing a great job," she whispered into his ear as she hugged him.

"Thanks mom."

Clint moved away from his mom as she climbed into her waiting taxi to take her to the airport. She insisted that Clint didn't have to drive her. They stood by and watched her taxi disappear down the street.

"At least she's happy," Emma said. "And you were worried that she was going to be upset with you for not marrying me first."

"Thank God she wasn't. I told her that I was going to marry you someday," he said pulling her close.

"You better Clint Barton. Or else I know hundreds of ways to neuter you."

* * *

The next few weeks seemed to drag on. Emma's baby bump kept growing and by the time week 20 rolled around, it was obvious that she was pregnant. But none of that really mattered to either Emma or Clint. What they wanted to know was if they were having a boy or a girl.

"Can you tell?" Emma asked while the technician was taking her time. Clint sat next to Emma and held her hand.

"Look right here," the technician said pointing at the screen. "Congratulations mom and dad. You're having a baby girl."

Emma turned to look at Clint and smiled. "Audrey Maria?" she asked.

Clint nodded. "Audrey Maria."


	22. Chapter 22

_**AN and Disclaimer: I don't own them but I do love them! Alas the end is near…..just a few more chapters and the epilogue! But have no fear there will be more stories with this lovely bunch! I promise! So enjoy and review!**_

* * *

**Chapter 22:  
**

"You know if you left S.H.E.I.L.D., you could take up painting houses." Emma said as she inspected the paint job that Clint had spent the better part of a Saturday working on. She and Clint had chosen a light pink and light green paint for the room. She had then decided on a pattern of alternating wide vertical stripes around the room. Clint had silently kicked himself for offering to paint the room on his own when she had decided on the pattern. But he would do it for Emma.

"Funny. I couldn't last a day painting for a real life job. This was torture enough." Clint said throwing a paintbrush back into one of the empty paint cans.

"Aww don't say that," Emma said kissing his cheek. "Audrey will love what her daddy did for her."

Clint smiled as he wrapped one arm around Emma's waist and placed his other hand against her growing stomach, hoping to feel Audrey move a little – given that Emma was about 26 weeks along. "I hope she does," he said kissing Emma's lips. "So how was the baby shower?" he then asked.

"It was a baby shower. We got a lot of stuff that we need for Audrey and a lot of clothes too. May is going to have Peter bring it all over later. She didn't want me to have to load it all up into a taxi by myself in case you weren't home or something."

"How much more do we have to get?" Clint asked leading her out of the nursery and into their room so he could clean up from painting.

Emma sat down on the bed and pulled out a list that she kept next to the bed. She began to check off things they had got at the baby shower while Clint headed into the bathroom and cleaned up.

"What's the verdict?" Clint asked flopping down on the bed a few minutes later.

"From the things I remember and with nursery furniture that your mom bought that is already here and sitting in the study," Emma said looking up at Clint who was laying a few feet from her. "We only need a few more pieces of bedding, some bottles, the breast pump and a few little other odds and ends."

"So you are telling me that everything that we put on the registry was bought at both Target and Babies R Us?"

"Mostly." Emma said beginning to go down the list. "The baby monitor, the high chair, the bouncer, the pack in play with sheets, a baby swing, some of the bedding, the stroller, this weird pillow thing that's called a boppy pillow, an activity mat for the floor for when she needs tummy time. And those are the biggest things. Then we got a bunch of baby clothes and random little things, along with gift cards to get things we missed."

"Just how many people did May invite?"

"Too many." Emma said. "I think there were like 30 to 40 older women there. It was the longest afternoon of my life."

She sighed as she leaned back on the pillows and closed her eyes.

"Take a nap Em. I'll get dinner tonight." Clint sat getting up off the bed.

"Ok," she mumbled, snuggling into the pillow, trying to get comfortable with her growing belly. Clint smiled as he pulled a blanket around her and kissed the top of her head.

Just as Clint pulled the door to their room shut, the doorbell rang. Quickly making his way downstairs, he found Peter Parker waiting on the front porch with several large boxes.

"Jesus, Emma wasn't joking." Clint said opening the door.

"Women are crazy when it comes to babies." Peter said beginning to bring the gifts inside. "Even Gwen went a little crazy."

After a few minutes, the two men had all the gifts inside.

"Anything else that you need help with?" Peter offered, sensing that Clint was beat.

"Now that you mention it."

* * *

"Wake up sleepy head." Clint whispered as he gently rubbed Emma's back as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Hmmm." Emma said, stretching a bit as she woke up. "What time is it?"

"Almost 7. You've been asleep for about 3 hours."

"What!"

"It's ok," he said helping her sit up. "But come on I want to show you something."

Clint helped her stand up and led her towards the nursery. "Ok close your eyes," he said before leading her in. Emma eyed him curiously but did as he requested. Once he was satisfied, Clint led her by the hand into Audrey's room.

"Ok open them," he whispered.

She opened them and looked around. All the nursery furniture had been put together and moved from the study and into the nursery. Even the crib had been put together.

"But how? I thought you were going to ask Coulson?" Emma asked turning around to look at Clint.

"Peter offered to help me with anything else and I asked. It actually didn't take long." Clint said. "If you don't like where we placed stuff, I'll get Coulson to come over and we can move things. Plus I didn't push everything up against the walls since they still weren't completely dry."

Emma just smiled and kissed Clint on the lips. "I love you, you know that right?"

"Each and every day," he said kissing her back.

* * *

The next few weeks seemed to fly by for Clint and Emma. From getting the nursery completely ready to doctor's appointments, Emma was happy – yet tired – and ready to get this pregnancy over with. Clint felt the same way. Often times during the night, he would wake up to find their bed empty. The first time this happened it scared him. Being a S.H.E.I.L.D. agent first, he immediately went for his gun that he kept in the bedside table, as he slowly and quietly, made his way through the house looking for Emma. Either Emma had become quiet as a mouse when she was pregnant or something had happened to her.

But his paranoia was short lived.

He found her snuggled on the couch in a sitting up position with several pillows stacked behind her soundly sleeping. He knew it had to be uncomfortable having something inside of you growing, kicking and moving at odd times. He made sure that the blanket was tight enough around her, turned off the light and TV before heading back to bed himself, making a mental note not to tell Emma about searching the house with a gun for her. She would never let him hear the end of that one.

Besides Emma's odd choice of sleeping arrangements from time to time, she also began to get a bit grouchy when it came to clothes she could fit in. all it seemed to her was that it was either stretchy pants and a large t-shirt or a dress. And she was tired of both. No matter what Clint told her about the way she looked, she always thought that she looked fat.

"You know Em," Clint said, one night while Emma was cutting up veggies for their salad. He was taking their chicken out of the oven. She had just got done complaining about how another pair of pants didn't fit. "There are maternity shops."

She turned and glared at him while turning a knife over in her hands. He looked at her then at the knife and gulped. He quickly sat down the hot pan along with the oven mitt, took two strides over to Emma on the other side of the kitchen and pulled her into his arms. "But you look beautiful in whatever you are wearing – or not wearing – pregnant or not," he said kissing her lips as he managed to get the knife out of her hands and away from her. He kissed her a second time for safe measure before letting go of her.

"You're lucky that you added that last bit," she said, still glaring at him a bit but with a hint of a smile.

On the work front, things at the bookshops had begun to pick up as well. Emma desperately needed some new talent to help her in the store, but wanted someone young to help her instead of older. But had no idea where to turn to.

"Agent Turner," Coulson suggested one afternoon during one of her times at S.H.E.I.L.D.

"From logistics?" she asked as they walked down the corridor.

"Yeah. His wife just passed leaving him with a 15-year-old daughter who is in need of guidance. Her name is Kaleigh. I know that 15 year olds can be hired as long as they are home by 10 pm and have their parents permission to work and don't work over a certain number of hours a week. Turner had mentioned that he would love for Kaleigh to get out of the house more."

"Ok. But I can tell there is something that you are hiding from me." Emma said. "What is it Coulson."

"Kaleigh is special."

"By special what do you mean? Special needs?"

"No."

She raised an eyebrow as Coulson he pulled her into an empty room. "I didn't want to say this out in the open since many don't know below our clearance levels. But Kaleigh Turner is a mutant. Right now her powers are only shielding, like forming barriers around herself. She attended the Xavier Institute for a while and managed to get it under control and came home but the consensus seems to be that the thought of having a mutant for a daughter was what sent her mother over the edge."

"Oh."

"So Kaleigh is home schooled by someone from S.H.E.I.L.D., but I think that working in your bookshop would be a great thing too. Because she is a lot like you were."

"An outcast."

"But people do change Emma," Coulson said, patting her on the shoulder. "Fury knew you could. He knew it all long. And you have. I know he is proud of you and so am I. so what's it going to be?"

* * *

Emma slowly made her way through the narrow aisles of the bookstore showing Kaleigh the different sections and where everything went. She then showed her how to use the cash register and write up orders for books that they weren't carrying or how to take preorders.

"Don't worry it takes a bit of time to get used to. This store is a lot smaller while the one in midtown is a bigger." Emma said sitting on the stool behind the counter once they were done with the tour. "But for now, until you get used to everything, I think that you can work with me here. Eventually you'll work at both."

"Thank you Ms. Carter for giving me this job." Kaleigh politely said looking down at her feet.

"Please call me Emma. Ms. Carter sounds like what someone would call my Aunt Peggy."

Kaleigh lifted her head up and smiled at Emma. "How do you know my father if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh I work with him."

"At S.H.E.I.L.D.?"

Emma nodded.

"But how? You're….you're…." Kaleigh said stumbling over her words.

"Pregnant?"

"Yeah."

Emma laughed. "That I am. I'll tell you what. You tell me a secret and I will tell you one."

Kaleigh looked down at the floor again and mumbled something.

"I couldn't hear what you said." Emma said.

"I'm a mutant," Kaleigh whispered.

"That's awesome!" Emma said picking up a pile of paper. "Wanna see my secret?"

"Sure!"

She handed the pile of paper to Kaleigh. "Look through there. See any matches or anything?"

Kaleigh did as Emma asked. "Nope," she said handing them back to Emma.

"Ok good. Now look at my hand. See it's just my hand right?"

Kaleigh nodded as she looked at Emma's hand.

Emma held the papers out as they burst into flames. She watched Kaleigh's eyes light up in amazement at the sight of Emma's hand and forearm glowing red and then orange before going back to pale skin color.

"Did it hurt?" she asked once the paper had burned away.

"Nope. But see Kaleigh we all have secrets. And there are those who don't care that you are different because they might be different too."

The teenager looked up at Emma and smiled. "I hope so Emma. Because everyone I've met is mean and cruel."

"Well I know people who aren't. And I'll make sure you meet them."

* * *

"It's just one grab-n-bag in Juneau. We've been after this guy for months according to Fury and they need to best sharpshooter sent in." Clint said as he packed his bag. He turned around and was face to face with the barrel of a pistol.

"I swear to God, Clinton Barton, if you don't come back TOMORROW, I will be on the first transport out to Alaska and if will get this son of a bitch myself. I would make it tonight but Alaska is a few time zones away. Then you have to answer to me."

Clint slowly pulled Emma towards him. "What is it with you and threatening me with weapons when you are pregnant. I kinda find it a turn on," he whispered in a low, gruff voice that always got to Emma. He slowly kissed her neck before kissing her lips. Emma dropped the gun onto the bed as she wrapped her arms around Clint as he lowered her onto it.

"I promise to be back tomorrow. I made that perfectly clear to Fury. Plus you have a doctor's appointment the next day for your week 36 check up. Then no more missions because then it's BABY WATCH!"

Emma rolled her eyes as Clint stole another kiss before moving down and kissing her large belly. He then helped her up off the bed. "Besides you and Coulson have that thing at the United Nations to attend…"

* * *

She stuck out like a sore thumb. She didn't look like a United States diplomat, which was what she was supposed to be. Well she was a US citizen, so it was only right that she acted like a diplomat from her home country. But she stuck out like a sore thumb because she was so pregnant.

"So tell me again," she asked as she and Coulson stood in the main lobby of the United Nations building in downtown Manhattan. "Why are we here again?"

"Arms proliferation. You are the linguistics expert. Walk between the countries and listen. They will move for a pregnant lady. Plus we do get seats right on the General Assembly floor for all the speeches."

Emma nodded and began to do what her handler expected of her as she made her way towards the General Assembly floor. As she did, nothing caught her attention. And all through out the speeches, nothing did.

In the middle of the day, 'being pregnant' kicked in and she had to excuse herself to go to the bathroom. As she was coming out of the restroom, she stopped in her tracks and watched from behind the door. She noticed a talk, lanky white bald man talking with a Middle Eastern man. She recognized the bald man – he was Obadiah Stane. He was one of the men in charge of Stark Industries when Tony Stark was too busy getting drunk off his ass and fucking whatever walked his direction. She listened closely to their conversation.

They were whispering and talking in Arabic, which wasn't her best language. But it was something about bombs. Hopefully her recorder hand managed to get enough of it.

She waited until they were gone before leaving the bathroom and heading back into the General Assembly floor.

"What took you so long?" Coulson asked.

"I'll tell you later."

* * *

"This isn't enough to make a full operation on," Fury said, listening to the recording. "But I will take it into consideration for a future detail."

"But sir! After I give birth…" Emma argued.

"After you give birth you are going to be needed at home. Another agent can take the job if I feel that there is a need at the time. This is an op that would take months if not years. You can't be going in on a job like that."

Emma sighed in defeat. "Yes sir."

"Agent Barton just arrived back at base a few minutes ago and should be done with debriefing. Go meet up with him and the two of you go home and take it easy until this future S.H.E.I.L.D. agent is born," he said pointing at Emma's belly. "You've made is this far into the pregnancy. None of us want anything happening to you or her."

Emma actually smiled as she turned and left the room.

Once Emma was gone, Fury sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"Sir?" Coulson asked.

"Things would be a hell of a lot easier if she only knew who her parents really were."

"Is that why you won't send her undercover?"

"One of them."

* * *

"Clint?" Emma said shaking Clint awake in the middle of the night.

"Hmmm?"

"I don't feel good."

Clint sat up in bed and turned on his bedside table and looked up at Emma, who was sitting up next to him in bed. "Is it heartburn?" he asked.

She shook her head no.

"Contractions?"

"No."

"What's wrong?"

"Everything's burning again," she said with tears swelling up in her eyes. "I need Dr. Richards."

"Ok," he said getting up out of bed. "Let's get you dressed and we'll head over to the Baxter Building. Did you call him already?"

"I sent him a text message," Emma said slowly getting up as well.

"What did he say?"

No answer.

Instead he heard a thud as Emma's body crumpled to the floor.


	23. Chapter 23

**_AN and Disclaimer: I don't own them – but Emma and Audrey are mine!_**

* * *

**Chapter 23:**

Clint couldn't believe it as a smile spread across his face.

Baby Audrey was finally here.

He sat in the rocking chair in, holding his newborn daughter as she slept in his arms. They were in the hospital room that Emma was staying in for the next two days. Emma was taking a much needed nap after going through 14 hours of labor. Clint knew there was an uncomfortable looking couch/bed thing that fathers could sleep on if they didn't want to leave their new family and there was no way that he was leaving his. But there would be time for sleep later. Now was time for some daddy-daughter time.

"Audrey, do you know just how much hell your mommy and I went through the last few weeks? That's why your mommy needs some sleep."

After a few more minutes, Clint gently lay his daughter back in the hospital cradle that was next to Emma's bed. He sat down on the couch/bed thingy that sat in front of a window and looked back at his new family. Sure it was small – but it was his. And he'll be damned if anything ever hurt them, especially after all it took to get there.

He thought back over the last few weeks. From Emma collapsing on their bedroom floor to having to be injected with something called the cosmic control rod by Dr. Richards to stabilize her blood, it had been a bit crazy. He had reassured both Clint and Emma that everything would be ok because he had done something similar to Sue when she had given birth to their son Franklin. That made them both feel a little better. Yet the only downside was that Emma had been placed on bed rest until she delivered. Clint knew that was going to drive them both crazy.

And drove them crazy it did. Emma was moody, cranky and she tried several times to sneak out of the house for a walk when Clint would be gone for just a hour or so – to either run to the store to get groceries, check on the bookshops for Emma or just run some other errands that Emma had for him. But both he and Coulson were smarter than that and had stationed some newbie S.H.E.I.L.D. agents to monitor the house.

But finally Dr. Counce, who had been told about Emma's past after being cleared by S.H.E.I.L.D. in case of problems during delivery, said that she would be induced and Audrey would finally make her debut to the world when Emma was 39 weeks along.

The day had been long, with much waiting for May and Peter Parker in the waiting room of the hospital along with Coulson and Fury. But after 14 hours and Dr. Counce threatening a C-section, Audrey had arrived – with all ten fingers and ten toes. Clint had been amazed by the entire ordeal of giving birth although he just about fainted when he did see his daughter's head coming out. Dr. Counce had warned him not to look. But it was all worth it.

* * *

"She is so adorable!" Gwen Stacey gushed as she held Audrey in he arms.

It had been a few days since Audrey was born and there was a small homecoming party for her at Clint and Emma's house. Aunt May had put everything together and would make sure that everything would be cleaned up as well. She had invited some of the workers from the bookshops along with Coulson and Fury.

"Now Peter just needs to get on the ball and ask you to marry him! Then the two of you can have one of these," Emma joked making Peter blush.

Audrey began to cry in Gwen's arms. "Aww, here mommy," she said handing her back to Emma, who stood up and headed off go change her in the other room.

"I think Emma's going to make a great mom," Coulson whispered to Clint.

"Me too."

* * *

_AN #2: I made it short and sweet…epilogue is next! And just an FYI - I know that 14 hours is long to be in labor, but my sister was in labor for that long just a few months ago and waiting sucked!_


	24. Epilogue

_**Disclaimer and AN: I don't own them – well Emma and Audrey are mine! See AN at the end!**_

* * *

**Epilogue:**

"Come on Audrey!" Clint said with his arms wide open as he sat on the floor of her bedroom. "Crawl to daddy!"

Seven-month-old Audrey Barton looked from her mother who was lying on the floor next to her then back at her father who was across the room from them. "Go on Audrey." Emma urged.

Audrey smiled and giggled at her mother before taking off. Within seconds, Clint scooped his daughter up in his arms and hugged her as she giggled. "That's my girl! You are getting good at crawling. Soon you will be walking!"

"Let's not pressure her to grow up too soon," Emma said standing up. "Because after walking comes running then driving then boyfriends…"

Clint's smile dropped. "Good point, Em. Don't grow up too fast. Because daddy doesn't want to have to scare off any boys yet."

Emma leaned over and took Audrey from Clint's arms so that she could go feed her before she and Clint had to leave for a S.H.E.I.L.D. mission – Emma's last mission in the field for a while. Clint stood up and followed his girls into the kitchen. He sat down at the kitchen table next to the high chair where Emma had Audrey strapped in. the little girl giggled as she reached for a small rice puff that Emma had given her to eat while Emma fixed the rest of her dinner.

"You know that you don't have to go on this mission," Clint said when Emma sat down across from him to feed Audrey.

"Technically, I'm running the ops from the Helicarrier and you are doing the mission. I am simply going to be doing Coulson's role in this one since he is watching Audrey for us." Emma said as she fed Audrey a spoonful of baby food from a jar. "I'll just be the voice in your ear the entire time. So make sure those hearing aids of yours are turned on all the way because sometimes I don't think they are."

"Like when?"

"Like when Audrey has a dirty diaper and is crying. Somehow you almost always manager to never change one," she said as she finished feeding their daughter."

Clint didn't say a word because he knew that it was true. He didn't like dirty diapers. Give him blood and guts any time – but stinky baby diapers were another story. Emma couldn't help but smile as she finished feeding Audrey then leaned over and kissed Clint's cheek. "Here's your chance daddy. Go change her diaper."

He sighed in defeat.

* * *

"Be careful, Clint. She's stealthy." Emma's voice crackled in his ear.

"You know I will," he said taking his position on the rooftop.

S.H.E.I.L.D. had been monitoring Natasha Romanoff aka the Black Widow for months. They knew that they had to take her out now or else they wouldn't have a chance again for a long time. The original plan had been to send in Emma and Clint together – but Clint had put his foot down. He would never allow Emma into the field with him again. He was not going to risk their daughter growing up an orphan like Emma had been. The consensus was that Clint would target the Black Widow from a distance and take her out with Emma acting as his eyes and ears from the Helicarrier.

The plan was to attack from a high vantage point so that the Black Widow will never know what hit her. Then S.H.E.I.L.D. would simply make her body disappear. One less piece of filth on the earth to deal with later on - well that was how Clint thought about it.

But as he shadowed the Black Widow for a few hours he began to notice a few things. They way that she carried herself, acted around others and even the way she seemed not to trust anyone. Yet it wasn't until later that night, when Clint saw her single handily take out 3-armed Russian mobsters in an alleyway from his high rooftop vantage point, that he figured out something about the Black Widow.

He reached into his quiver and pulled out a gas arrow and let it fly. It landed just at her feet and exploded. The knock out gas caused the Black Widow to collapse. He waited a few minutes to allow the gas to dissipate before heading down into the alleyway from the rooftop.

Clint knelt down beside her and checked her vitals. Strong and steady – and passed out. Good.

"Em?" he said pressing the ear piece in his ear.

"Yeah."

"I'm ready for pickup."

"You'll have evac in 3 minutes."

She cut the transmission and Clint sighed. He knew that she was going to be pissed – maybe even Fury and Coulson would be too. He wasn't supposed to be bringing the Black Widow back alive. But perhaps they could flip her or have her become a double agent.

* * *

"What the hell were you thinking?" Emma yelled as she, Clint and Fury sat in a debriefing room back aboard the Helicarrier.

"It was a split decision! With you leaving the field we need another covert ops agent. She is about as good as it gets. Perhaps we can flip her or something." Clint said trying to reason with Emma.

"Clint's right, Emma." Fury said calmly. "It's now your job to flip her."

"By any means necessary?" she asked.

Fury nodded.

She stood up and left the room. Clint stood up to follow her as well, but Fury stopped her. "Agent Barton stay a minute."

Clint sat back down.

"What was the real reason why you didn't kill her?" Fury asked.

"Besides flipping her?"

"Yes."

"She reminded me of Emma."

"I can understand that. Even I've noticed that in her files. But there is something else that we need to talk about. And it's your new assignment after Emma is done flipping the Black Widow."

"What's that sir?"

"Have you ever heard of the IMF?"

* * *

"You're going where?" Clint asked as Emma quickly packed her go bag.

"Diego Garcia."

"How long will you be gone?"

"As long as it takes."

"Have you done this sorta thing before?"

"Yes," she said slinging the bag over her shoulder and walking towards Clint. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips. "I will work as fast as I can. But Russian spies as hard to break. Audrey should have enough food for a week. Hopefully this won't take that long."

"When you asked Fury by any means necessary – do I even want to know what that entails?" he asked eyeing her.

She shook her head no.

"Be careful Em. I love you," he said.

"I will Clint. I love you too," she replied stealing another kiss. "Besides I've got other agents going with me."

Clint hugged her one last time before letting her go. He knew that Fury trusted her enough to flip agents from other spy organizations, but it bothered him that Emma would do it by any means necessary. Then again they did live in the world of spies. And this was what spies did.

* * *

"Again." Emma commanded as she stood back and watched as several agents water boarded Natasha Romanoff since she was still not cooperating with Emma during interrogations. This had been going on off and on for over three days. The agents with her knew not to kill Natasha but only to take her to the point of panic then to stop.

After a few seconds, Natasha was sputtering and coughing as she pulled against her restraints. The agents stopped and stood the former KGB agent back up right.

"Now let me ask you this again. You worked for the KGB, so who do you work for now?" Emma asked as the hood was removed from Natasha's head as she was allowed to breath on her own again.

"Myself. I work for myself," she spat out with her dark eyes narrowing.

"How's that worked out for you?"

Natasha didn't say a word.

"The Russian mob tried to kill you before you single handily took three of them out then one of our agents took you out."

"So?"

"So how about coming and working for someone who wants to take out the Russian mob, along with the ones who turned you into who you are today."

Natasha's eyes narrowed. "What do you know about Red Room?"

"Enough to know that you can't do it on your own."

* * *

"I flipped her." Emma said to Fury during a communication on the flight back from Diego Garcia aboard the Quinjet to the main base in New York.

"Good. Let me guess you dangled Red Room in front of her."

"It was all I had."

"We'll work with it. You do know that she's going to be Agent Barton's new partner."

"Figured."

"But he won't be here often. I gave him a new assignment. How long until you're here?"

"We're about an hour or so out of New York."

"Good. I'll have Coulson and Barton meet you both so that you can make introductions."

"Yes sir."

* * *

Clint watched as the Quinjet touched down and the gangplank opened. Two armed agents were off first followed by Emma then Natasha Romanoff.

God, he had missed Emma even though she had only been gone for six days. This had been the longest they had been apart for well over a year. With this new assignment that Fury had given him, he wasn't sure that he would be able to last. He knew that there would be times that he would have to go weeks possibly months without seeing her or his daughter. That's why the time he would have with them would be precious.

He also knew that only he, Coulson, Fury and Emma would know about his mission. No one else in S.H.E.I.L.D. would. Not even his new partner, Natasha Romanoff, would. Yet for now he stood back and waited for Emma to make all the introductions.

"This is Agent Phil Coulson. He will be your handler. He gives you the missions you will go on. Turst me don't piss him off or he will take you down. He's done it to me a thousand times." Emma said as Natasha and Coulson shook hands. "Then this is Agent Clint Barton aka Hawkeye. He will be your sniper partner from time to time."

Clint moved forward and shook Natasha's hand. "Hawkeye?" she asked.

"Yeah. I can hit anything I aim for."

"Impressive," she said raising an eyebrow.

"My job here is done and now I bid you all adieu." Emma said turning on her heel and heading towards the doors of S.H.E.I.L.D. headquarters. The trio stood by and watched her leave.

"so what was her name?" Natasha asked once Emma was gone.

"Lady Hawk." Clint said with a smirk on his face.

Coulson suppressed a chuckle. Natasha just looked at them confused. "Come on," he then suggested. "We got lots of training to do if you're going to be able to keep up with me as my partner."

* * *

_**AN #2: And we're done! I want to thank everyone who read, reviewed and added this story as a favorite! The sequel is already up! It's called "The Things They Carry". I actually began to write that story first and everyone fell in love with the idea of Emma and Clint so I began "Lady Hawk". **_

_**But I am going to go back into "The Things They Carry" and add more details into the beginning chapters and fix a few things, yet many questions are answered. Like who are Emma's parents? Why wouldn't Fury send Emma to spy on Stark Industries? **_

_**There is also going to be a cross over story that falls in between Lady Hawk and The Things They Carry. It's a cross over with Mission Impossible. I'll start that in a few days. So if you add me to author alert, you will know when it is posted! Once again thank you all! **_


	25. Author's Note

**The crossover event with Mission Impossible has begun! Check it out! You can find a link on my author's page. It's called Mission: Strike  
**

**THANKS!  
**

**KD Skywalker_  
_**


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